Reference specimenAccession  SKU-00591

Actaea pachypoda

White Baneberry

At a glance
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
USDA Zones 3–7
Sun
Part Shade, Full Shade
Soil
Moist, Well-drained
Mature size
Height 1–3 Feet · Spread 2–3 Feet
Growth rate
Moderate
Seasonality
Deciduous
A plant Woodlanders once offered on our catalogue

This variety is no actively in production in our propagation house and may not return to our catalogue. We maintain this page purely for reference and archival purposes. If you would like to grow this plant, tell us. Your interest helps guide what we bring back.

For a larger installation or commercial project, write hello@woodlanders.net.

White baneberry earns the better-known name doll's eyes from the fruit: in late summer each white, pea-sized berry carries a single dark stigma scar, set on a thickened, coral-red stalk, so a whole cluster seems to stare back. A clump-forming native perennial of rich eastern woodlands, Actaea pachypoda opens fluffy white racemes above divided foliage in late spring, then trades flowers for that startling, long-lasting fruit display.

The plant is poisonous, the berries and roots most of all, and the common name baneberry records exactly that. Even so, several Native peoples knew the species as medicine: the Cherokee and others prepared a root tea for pain, coughs, and colds, the Cherokee using the brew to revive a patient near death, while the Chippewa turned to the same root for convulsions. These were the remedies of careful, experienced hands; the plant offered here is grown for the woodland garden, not the medicine chest.

Set white baneberry in the cool shade of a woodland border, in rich, humusy soil kept evenly moist, where the white spring flowers and the autumn doll's eyes both read against ferns, hostas, and other shade companions. The coral stalks and white berries hold for weeks, a quiet show long after most woodlanders have finished. In the deep South, give extra moisture and shade. Lovely, long-lived, and best sited where the poisonous fruit will not tempt small children.

Design Notes

For the cool shade of a woodland border, in rich, humusy soil kept evenly moist, where the white spring flowers and autumn doll's eyes read against ferns, hostas, and other shade companions. The coral stalks and white berries hold for weeks, long after most woodlanders finish. Give extra moisture and shade in the deep South, and site where the poisonous fruit will not tempt small children.

Flower, Fruit & Foliage

Small white flowers in fluffy late-spring racemes

Flower. Fluffy spikes of small white flowers rise above the foliage in late spring. Fruit. Glossy white berries, each marked with a dark eye and held on a thickened coral-red stalk, ripen in late summer and persist for weeks; poisonous, like the rest of the plant. Foliage. Coarsely toothed, divided leaves form a bushy, knee-high clump that dies back for winter.

Care

Light. Part to full shade; protect from hot direct sun.

Soil. Rich, humusy, evenly moist woodland soil with good drainage.

Water. Keep consistently moist, especially in the deep South where extra water and shade are needed.

Pruning. None needed; leave the berry display to stand, and wash hands after handling, since all parts are poisonous.

Hardiness. USDA zones 3 to 7.

Medicinal & Traditional Use
Traditional profile
Tradition
Indigenous American
Parts used
Root, Rhizome, Leaf
Preparation
Root decoction (tea), Leaf infusion
Active compounds
Irritant essential oil and cardiogenic toxins
Research evidence
1 / 5
Traditional uses
Pain ReliefRespiratory SupportReproductive Health
History & tradition

White baneberry held a place in the practice of several Native peoples of eastern North America. The Cherokee and others are recorded preparing a tea from the root for pain, coughs, and colds, with the Cherokee using a preparation to revive a patient near death, while the Chippewa used a root tea for convulsions; women of some nations drank a leaf infusion to encourage the flow of milk. These were the remedies of experienced hands working with a plant that is otherwise poisonous in every part. This account is cultural and historical background only, not medical advice, and these preparations are not recommended for self-treatment.

Please note

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is shared for traditional and educational interest only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before any medicinal use.

  • All parts are poisonous, the berries and roots most of all
  • A few berries can cause serious illness; keep away from children
  • Traditional use only; not safe for self-treatment