About
Actaea simplex 'Pink Spike' is a perennial that grows in clumps and reaches a height of approximately 1.4 meters, making it somewhat shorter than many of its relatives. The plant features lobed, deep purple leaves that are palmate in shape. In September, it produces pale pink flowers resembling bottlebrushes, which attract both bees and butterflies with their light fragrance.
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, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, East-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- 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. Water thoroughly in dry weather. Prefers partial shade
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in early spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free