About
Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Mountain Wave' is a robust, clump-forming perennial that can reach heights of approximately 200 cm. It features finely dissected, bronze-hued leaves that provide a distinctive backdrop. In the summer to autumn months, slender, branched spikes emerge, adorned with fragrant, fluffy, creamy-white flowers that have a subtle purple tint, resembling bottlebrushes. After flowering, the plant produces black berries.
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
- 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
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- Fragrance
- Flower
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Best grown in cool, moist, reasonably fertile soil in partial shade but will tolerate most soils if enriched with organic matter. May need staking - see staking perennials for further information
- 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