Actaea (Cimicifuga)

Actaea (Cimicifuga) – more shade garden plant selections

Names, names, names; some common names are bugbane, snakeroot, cohosh or fairy candles; in order to remove confusion the group was reclassified from Cimicifuga to Genus Actaea. However named these wonderful woodland plants can add background structure, height, and colorful foliage to your shade garden. There is a great deal of nominal confusion and many plants are sold with invalid names. The first specimen I added to my garden was tagged Cimicifuga racemosa ‘Atropurpurea’. This seedling strain from Korea and Japan has also been sold as C. ramosa or C. simplex ‘Atropurpurea group’. The species is now named Actaea simplex. It is difficult to tag what you are growing!

   

I always scan native plant nurseries and the internet looking to add a species or selections to my garden.

Many people are attracted to the pricey purple–foliaged selections from Actaea simplex, I have grown Hillside Black Beauty, Black Negligee, James Compton, and Brunette. The foliage will darken as the plant matures yearly. Native to woodland margins in semi-shade, shelter from high winds which can tear the plant apart.



A. simplex 'atropurpurea' emerging





Early to emerge, the plant will build a base of foliage from which grow flower spikes of bottlebrush white or pink flowers. Blooming in fall from late August in the case of A. americana to frost, some species are heavy scented attracting bumblebees.

North American native A. americana, American or Mountain Bugbane, has large compound leaves and stalked wands of  vertical white flowers. It grows 4-6 feet tall.  It differs from A. racemosa, Black Snakeroot or Cohosh with a single wand of snaking flowers. Blake Snakeroot is heavily collected for a compound used in drugs for menopause. Actaea rubifolia, is commonly called Appalachian Bugbane, has rounded maple-leaf like foliage.

Another Asian species I have collected is A. japonica, with glossy maple-leaf foliage. Often flowers are killed by frost, it has self-sowed infrequently. It averages from two to three feet tall.



Actaea japonica



Actaea rubifolia



Bugbanes- value in the garden

¨      Very cold hardy, USDA zones 3-7

¨      Prefer semi-shade woodland setting; rich, moist soils.

¨      Not invasive

¨      Infrequent care once established

¨      Fall blooming

¨      Unique colorful foliage

¨      Foliage and erect flower spikes add structure

My collector wish list includes three Asian species: A. dahurica with branched flower stems. A. mairei, a large plant with green flower heads eight feet tall. A. purpurea, is not in cultivation, it is reported to have purple-black flowers. There is also a variegated form of A. simplex which may not be cultivated in the United States.

I do love all their natural colors and forms but, the pollen dauber in me wants to create a purple-foliaged A. japonica or A. rubifolia. Different flower colors exist, A. foetida has yellow flowers, A. purpurea, purple flowers, I would love to experiment with different color combinations.

The most important task would be to propagate all species and hybrids and make them available to collector and gardener alike.



Hillside Black Beauty 1 yr. transplant



In the proper conditions bugbanes are highly sustainable shade plants which add attractive foliage, height, color, and fall flowering for temperate gardens.

Hosta Companions

Martagon Lilies

My first large scale garden was a glade of hosta under a grove of ash and oak. I limited the amount of variegated and gold varieties selecting more for leaf-shape, height, blue and green color. This background made the variegated/gold varieties more vibrant specimens. This garden was popular among many visitors and I was asked to reproduce it for friends.

The semi-shade under the high canopy was ideal but the gardens lacked a sense of intimacy and enclosure for they lacked sub canopy structure. A shrub layer adds masking structure but also requires additional space I did not have, so I experimented with tall perennials of the woodland edge.

Over the next few blogs I will discuss my experience with tall companions for the hosta garden.



Emerging

Martagon Lily

These rare jewels I intersperse amongst large-leaved and tall vase-shaped hosta clumps. Prodigious growth is achieved under high canopy morning lit gardens sheltered from the hot afternoon sun. Good air circulation is essential for healthy lilies, reducing the affect of airborne pathogens.

I space different varieties well apart from one another, Martagons create long-lasting, ever widening clumps. Bulbs are often sited below the superficial root systems of hosta, making it easier to move hosta without the need to transplant lilies.

Each growth stage adds living sculpture to a glade. Martagons will emerge before the hosta erupting into domes of packed energy which race into the sky.  The dark, pointed, whorled leaves get smaller as the stem towers like minarets. The plants discharge a nodding flower spike which lift and unfolds into symmetrically arranged buds. The candelabra of buds will color and open into down-facing flowers of remarkable grace. With this visual feast the flowers add a musky fragrance.

The symmetrical sculpture show of these lilies enhances the debut of hosta as they unfurl from winter slumber. After the Martagon bloom season the flowering of hosta can take over center stage.






Living sculpture

Martagon bulbs are uncommon and pricey. Specialty nurseries and groups associated with the North American Lily Society are great sources for quality bulbs. Two varieties I recommend are listed below. These have been robust growers and normally modestly priced.




Morning  has broken

Claude Shride - Dark green foliage with white buds turning to dark red flowers. A vigorous grower, this lily flowers at 4’, one of the best reds.  

Claude Schride

Terrace City – Yellow flowers with a pink flush and some spots. This beauty never fails to impress and can bloom at nearly 6’.  

Terrace City

Leave me a comment on Martagons!