About
Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Black Negligee' is a herbaceous perennial that reaches approximately 1.2 meters in height. It features finely divided leaves that are nearly black in color. During late summer and early autumn, it produces fragrant, creamy-white flower spikes reminiscent of bottlebrushes.
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, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-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
- Wildlife gardens, Cottage and informal garden
- Fragrance
- Flower
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in cool, moist, moderately fertile soil, enriched with organic matter and mulched. Site in dappled shade. Water thoroughly in dry weather. Flowers are attractive to butterflies
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in early spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free