About
Actaea dahurica is a perennial that forms clumps and can reach heights of up to 2 meters when in bloom. It features deeply lobed green foliage. In late summer to early autumn, its tall, branching stems produce elongated clusters of soft, lightly scented white flowers.
About the genus
Actaea consists of herbaceous perennials that grow from rhizomes. They feature compound leaves and produce small, creamy-white flowers arranged in compact, upright racemes that can be simple or branched. These flowers may later develop into toxic berries that can be red, black, or white, or into clusters of star-shaped brown follicles.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- Asia
- Fragrance
- Flower
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in cool, moist, humus-rich soil that doesn't dry out, in partial shade. Ideal for a woodland garden or a shaded herbaceous or mixed border
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, sown when ripe in containers in a cold frame or in a nursery bed in autumn, or by division in early spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free