Common name: Bugbane
Family: Ranunculaceae, Buttercup
Height x width: 2-8' x 3-4', shorter in sun
Growth rate: moderate to slow (3-4 years before flowering)
Foliage: divided into 3 segments 3 times (ternately compound), dark green to blackish
Flowers: long racemes of white, distinct number of pistils for each species
Hardiness:zones 3-7
Soil:moist, acidic prefered (as in woodlands)
Light: shade to part shade (especially zone 6 and warmer)
Pests and problems: few
Landscape habit, uses: woodland, back of border, native planting
Other interest: when named by Linnaeus in 1750 the species foetidus was ground into powder and stuffed into mattresses and pillows to drive away (Latin fugo) bugs (Latin cimex)
Other culture: perform best in cooler zones
Propagation: stratified seed germinate erratically, hard to divide mature (at least 3 years old) plants
Species:
acerina: japonica
americana (ah-mer-eh-caa' nah)--American Bugbane, zones 3-7, 2-6' x 3', white flowers on 2-3' inflorescence, 3-8 pistils per flower, flowers in early fall, some foliage on flower stems, native in eastern U.S.
dahurica (da-hur' eh-ca)--Dahurian Bugbane, zones 5-7, 5-6' x 3', slightly fragrant creamy white flowers in late summer, native to Japan
japonica (ja-pon' eh-ca)--Japanese Bugbane, zones 3-7, 3-6' x 3', branched racemes of white flowers, all basal foliage, late summer to early fall flowers, native to Japan
racemosa (raa-suh-mo' sah)--Cohosh, Black Snakeroot, zones 3-7, 6-8' x 4', white flowers on 3-4' inflorescence in late summer, flowers with 1-2 pistils, fewer flower stalks than other species, native to eastern U.S.
ramosa: simplex var. simplex 'Pritchard's Giant'
simplex (sim' plex)--Kamchatka Bugbane, zones 3-7, 3-4' x 3',
white flowers in 2-3' inflorescence in fall, 2-3 pistils per flower, arching
flower stalks, native to Russia
Cultivars:
| Cultivars, other taxa | species | other | |
| 'Braunlaub' (Brown Foliage) | simplex | purple foliage | |
| 'Hillside Beauty' | -- | dark purple foliage, from Conn. | |
| 'Pritchard's Giant' | simplex | 4-5' tall | |
| 'Purpurea':simplex | racemosa | ||
| var. cordifolia: rubrifolia | racemosa | ||
| var. matsumurae 'Elstead' | simplex | finely-cut dark green foliage | |
| var. simplex Atropurpurea Group | simplex | purple foliage | |
| 'White Pearl' ('Armleuchter') | simplex | dense flower spikes | |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
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