About
Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Satin Darkness' is a herbaceous perennial that reaches approximately 1.2 meters in height. It features finely dissected, almost black foliage and produces fragrant flower spikes that resemble bottlebrushes, initially creamy white and transitioning to a pale pink in late summer and early autumn. This plant is beneficial to pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
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
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- Fragrance
- Flower
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in cool, moist, moderately fertile soil, enriched with organic matter and mulched. Site in sun or dappled shade. Water thoroughly in dry weather
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering or fruiting
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in early spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free