Red baneberry (Actaea rubra)
Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) is a bog plant that can grow 10cm – 50cm tall and 10cm – 50cm wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Red baneberry (Actaea rubra).
This plant has several common names including: red baneberry, black cohosh, coralberry, rattlesnake herb, redberry or snakeberry.
This is a deciduous plant that takes 2-5 years to reach full maturity.
In this article
Plant profile
Common name: red baneberry, black cohosh, coralberry, rattlesnake herb, redberry, snakeberry
Scientific name: Actaea rubra
Plant type: Bogs, Perennials
Habit: Clump-forming
Height: 10cm – 50cm
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Partial shade
Soil: Clay, Loam
Moisture: Moist but well drained, Poorly drained
Garden type: Informal Garden, Wildflower meadow
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding
Seasonal colors
| Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
How to plant Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) – © El Grafo / CC-BY-SA-3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Whether small or large, formal or informal, every garden has space for an aquatic element. The sound and reflective qualities of water have long been used to add interest to gardens.
A pond, fountain or even a smaller water container greatly increases the variety of plants you can grow. In addition, they also encourage a wide variety of wildlife, including insects, frogs, toads and birds.
Together with plants, these elements offer a diversity of interests.
Other types of Actaea to consider:
See all Actaea
How to plant
In this section we will learn how to plant Red baneberry (Actaea rubra), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.
Soil
Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) is a plant that prefers to grow in clay or loam.
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Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).
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The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.
As for pH, it is a plant that grows ideally in soils with pH acid or neutral.
Regarding drainage, Actaea rubra likes to grow in moist but well drained or humid or poorly drained soils.
Sunlight
Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) should be grown in partial shade places.
Cultivation profiles – Growing Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) – Robert Flogaus-Faust, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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