Purple Snakeroot is well served by its tough, robust rhizome, which can forage well for water and nutrients, and survive the tough times. It delights in any well composted garden soil, and relishes summer mulch. Happily Purple Snakeroot can also tolerate clay soils, and makes an excellent choice for gardeners with heavy soil which may become waterlogged at times.īut Purple Snakeroot does not require heavy soil to thrive. Purple Snakeroot really enjoys life under trees and shrubs, as this mimics it’s native habitat in the deciduous woodlands of North America. Plant Actaea simplex in Shade or where there is Dappled Shade / Morning Sun. Valued for beautiful flower and foliage displays in both garden and vase, as well as bewitching scent. So it makes a very appealing perennial clump for a shaded garden. Which gives all the other green plants a real contrast lift. Purple Snakeroot has the most handsome dark, almost black foliage. The common name of Purple Snakeroot comes from both the appearance and the traditional use of the roots of Actaea simplex.īecause the dark roots of the underground rhizomes do indeed look a little like small snakes.Īnd the First Nations native American peoples (as well as the early European settlers who learnt from them) harvested, dried and treasured the rhizomes for use in herbal medicine.īlack Snakeroot had a fine reputation in the treatment of “ladies problems” and gut disorders, amongst other things. Then ends in a crescendo of vivid orange-yellow autumn foliage colour. The foliage colour will ever-deepen to near black, as the warm seasons progress. Beautiful burgundy-purple foliageīut it is the beautiful deep-purple-black foliage and stems that really captures your attention throughout the growing season, even when the plant is not in flower. The scent is rich, an exotic mix of fruity and spicy.Īnd the fluffy bottlebrushes of bloom make excellent cut flowers, with an entrancing scent indoors. Purple Snakeroot catches both the eye and the nose in summer and autumn, when the flower spires tower up on 120-180cm. These fuzzy flower heads contrast superbly with dark purple-black foliage and stems. Actaea simplex bears fragrant white flowers, in striking long heads, like soft fluffy bottlebrushes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |