12 dolls eye rhizoms,White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda

12 dolls eye rhizoms,White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda

Description

White baneberry is a perennial herb in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae).  It grows in forests or other natural areas, such as rich woods, deciduous woodlands, ravines, bluffs, and bluff bases. Genus name is the Latin name adopted by Linnaeus from Pliny. Specific epithet means with a thick stalk.

This plant prefers humus-rich moist soil in woodlands and thickets but can be adaptable. White baneberry grows from a thick rhizome but is non-aggressive and non-invasive. It will grow 1-3 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. It can be propagated by sowing the seed collected from the berries.  The seeds will germinate the following year and bloom in the second year. The plants can also be divided in spring or fall.

The small white flowers appear in spring in clusters providing pollen to short-tongued bees but lack nectar.  The berries are eaten by a variety of birds, thereby spreading the seed to other areas.