About
Actaea matsumurae 'Elstead Variety' is a perennial that typically reaches a height of 1.2 meters. It features dark purple stems and foliage, complemented by slender clusters of small, mildly fragrant white flowers that resemble bottlebrushes, which bloom in the autumn. This plant forms clumps, making it suitable for various garden settings.
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
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Gravel garden, Wildlife gardens
- Fragrance
- Flower
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Best grown in cool, moist, reasonably fertile soil in partial shade but will tolerate most soils if enriched with organic matter
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering or fruiting
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in autumn or by division in early spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free