Because the berries of my Caulophyllum thalictroides won a Bronze Medal in the Garden Olympics, I decided to reward it with a post of its own. I love this plant, whose common name is Blue Cohosh; it grew wild around the house where I grew up. I didn't know its name, only the dark blue berries it developed every summer. When I started planting the Woodland Garden here at Squirrelhaven, this was one of the first things planted. Because this plant is so uncommon and little known, I was fortunate that the local native plant nursery carried it. (It's known mostly through alternative medicine, but that's like knowing Coneflowers only as a cold remedy.) It's in the Barberry family, but I see no relationship there whatsoever. Blue Cohosh grows in moist woods from Canada to Georgia, from the East Coast to Nebraska and Oklahoma, Zones 3-8 (sorry Texas!). With a range like that, you'd think Blue Cohosh would be better known.It starts sprouting very early in spring, about the time when the Snowcrocuses and the Witchazel bloom. This year that was in the middle of March. When it first emerges in spring, it looks like this:
It blooms with the Anemonellas, Sanguinaria and Hepatica, with weird flowers:
I've seen images on the Web of Blue Cohosh with yellowish green flowers instead. Here's what the plant looks like in bloom.
It blooms for about a month, but clearly it is not grown for its flowers.As the leaves the leaves expand, they become bluegreen, and the berries begin to form. By July, the plant looks like this:
It is a graceful foliage plant that sets off finer textured plants, such as ferns, nicely, while providing a good contrast to more coarse textured plants, such as Wild Ginger (Asarum canadensis). But it's main season of interest is late summer and into fall, when its berries turn that intense blue.
It's not a flashy plant, but it is a wonderful supporting player in a woodland or shade garden.*Statement of the author's opinion only and is not meant to be a statement of fact. Not available in all areas. Your results may vary. Do not ingest any part of this plant without doctor's supervision. Not recommended for those with sunny or dry conditions.
36 comments:
Lovely woodland native. I love those blue berries. What a great supporting player in the shade.
I saw Blue Cohosh for the first time through a Blotanical blog and was blown away by the *blue* of the berries! Gorgeous.
My hopes of growing it have not been crushed, only gently smooshed! I have microclimates that I'd classify as Zone 8b. I will admit, though, that a plant which can take the extended cold periods of Zone 3 is probably not going to be real happy here!
Pretty plant! Thanks for telling us about it. I'm interested in adding it to my small shade garden sometime.
I've never heard of this plant, but its new leaves poking through the ground remind me of Peonies.
A beautiful berry indeed! Congrats on the bronze medal. I knew he was a contender. I can see it being a barberry relative in a way. The flowers are very similar. Sadly, I don't have any wetlands so will have to enjoy it through you.
BTW, any plans on the spring fling yet?
There are many northern-climate plants that I covet but cannot grow here in Austin. While this is not one of the showier ones, I do quite like it. I'm glad that you're showcasing this native plant.
I want to comment on the plant of course, but let me get this out of the way! I love the disclaimer. Very clever.
There are many natives that I would grow a) if the rains would return to Tennessee, and b) my soil was better. This is one of them...I like it very much...from it's interesting beginnings and odd flowers, to its blueberry blue berries. It is a great plant...glad you posted about it! A blue ribbon plant...
Gail
It has a beautiful berry. Even when not in bloom and without fruit, it has a delicate mounding shape. A very interesting plant.
Marnie
From funny looking brown shoots, to funnier looking flowers, to a very pretty mound of bluegreen foliage to finally gorgeous blue berries. What a great plant!!
Oh..I want one. Congrats on the award and I'll be adding this to my list next year. I like the berries and the texture of the blue green leaves. Very pretty.
PGL - there'd be even more of those berries if my soil wasn't so well drained & now bone dry.
Nancy Bond - the only other blog I've seen it on is Don's An Iowa Garden, and he has the most unusual plants of anybody.
Cindy - you can try Blue Cohosh, but I doubt it will ever be happy. Mine isn't happy, but I've managed to keep it looking Ok with extra water.
GBM - it's a wonderfully undemanding plant if it gets moisture & shade. It doesn't seem to have any pests, although the squirrels sometimes knock off some of the berries.
Patient Gardener - It always reminds me of Asparagus, when it's sprouting.
Beckie - barberry-like flowers, hm? I hate Barberries (probably because I have them), but I'll have to compare the flowers.
Pam - this would look weird next to an Agave. They're sort of like garden opposites, even if the foliage color is similar.
Gail - you could grow this, but it wouldn't be happy. The leaves get ratty if it doesn't get enough moisture. I'm willing to put in extra effort to grow it because it reminds me of the lost wild garden of my childhood.
Very cool! Thanks for bringing this plant to light (or shade). How fast does it grow, how big for you? I know right where a few could go....
Congrats on your medal! Thanks for going into detail; I wondered at the time about this plant. I do love those blue berries--definitely prettier than its flowers:)
What an interesting plant to feature! I assume birds (?) like the berries? I'll have to look up information as to the size, etc. Thanks MMD! :-)
And congrats on the plant olympics!
Shoot, I'm in Texas...
Brenda
Roses & Lilacs - it's the Thalictrum-like foliage that makes this plant so useful.
Flydragon - it's the super-morphing Cohosh!
Anna - I hope you & Blue Cohosh will be happy together for a long time (happier than you & sunflowers).
Benjamin Vogt - mine stays under 3 feet, probably more like 2 feet tall. I was going to say it would get bigger with more moisture, but then I was remembering how large it looked when I was 4 years old. So about 2 feet by 3 feet. Very well behaved.
Rose - I think the flowers are kind of fun.
Shady - actually, I haven't noticed birds going for that. Instead they eat the Cornus alternifolia berries, which ripen at the same time.
Sorry, Brenda!
It is very pretty. It reminds me of emerging peonies. I am so glad it grows here and I am going to look for it. Just beautiful.
MMD, I have the Pagoda Dogwood, too. Mine is now celebrating its first birthday in my yard. Have you seen this cultivar: Cornus alternifolia 'Wstackman' GOLDEN SHADOWS? Sounds like it would stand out in the shade! :-)
Hi MMD,
Great post on this great plant! And congrats for your Bronze ... as I said the other day, I've read a lot about this plant but never seen it, until your posts on it. Thanks so much for the introduction! I'd be tempted to grow it as well, but our shady space is growing smaller, unless it would do well under a Maple with dappled shade ... any thoughts on that?
I'm with Tina that the new shoots look like peonies (which was my first reaction seeing that pic). What I think really looks like asparagus though are the first shoots that Baptisia australis sends up in the spring.
LOL, I won't reproduce the verification word I have here for this comment, but it looks like swearing to me, hehe.
I like its foliage very much and would grow it for that alone. The gorgeous blue berries are a big bonus though and the weird but wonderful flowers in early spring too. Thanks for highlighting this plant, more should grow it, that's for sure!
I like that plant. I am unfamiliar with it but the stems emerge like a peony don't they. On the list now although it may be a bit dry here for it.
Tina - I hope your part of TN gets more rain than Gail's. Or you could always grow it in that bathtub! ;^)
Shady - I have seen C. alternifolia 'Wstackman,' just this morning when I went out to water, tee hee! I got it at the Morton Arboretum plant sale last spring. It looks very promising.
IVG - My Blue Cohosh (& my Black Cohosh too) grow under a Cottonwood. They may not be happy about it, but they manage.
Yolanda Elizabet - the only thing is that Blue Cohosh is hard to find, as most nurseries don't carry it.
Layanee - have you seen my post showing the large cracks in the soil? My could be described as "moist" only when the the ground thaws after a super snowy winter. It tolerates drier conditions than the optimal moist woodland soil.
Hi MMD, congrats on your medal, you are so deserving, as is the cohosh. I have heard about it in herb books during my herb phase of gardening, but really didn't know what it looked like in a garden. Yours is lovely, but like Gail and Tina, it would shrivel up and give a last gasp before kicking the bucket here. I like that Gail said when our rains return, not if.
Hi MMD, congratulations on winning the bronze! I've heard of both blue and black cohosh for their medicinal value, but didn't realize they were such pretty plants. The blue has very pretty foliage, and the berries are striking.
About any plant with blue flowers is a friend of mine. I'm feeling the need to amend that to blue flowers or berries.
MrMcD, I am impressed by this wild flower. However when I read that it likes 'moist' woodland well, I knew it wouldn't survive here. Especially right now. We have had only 1/2" of rain this month. All in our garden is looking a little ragged. Do you have to water your Cohosh or is it in a moist area?
Frances - I hope those rains return sooner rather than later.
Garden Girl - blue flowers, blue berries, blue foliage, I love them all.
Lisa - this month has been so dry I've had to water the whole woodland garden. The Blue Cohosh's leaves are starting to crisp up, but it doesn't get any extra water beyond what its neighbors are getting from the sprinkler. The Blue Cohosh has managed to thrive in my garden even though an Aruncus right next to it has shrivel and now only gets about a foot tall. (I'm waiting for that to die.) It's a useful comparison, as it shows that the Cohosh will handle drier soils that the optimum.
Great write up MMD. I'll definitely give this plant serious consideration for my shade garden. And I have a wet spot there too.
Hi, TC! I'm so glad I've made a convert. I hope you can find a source for this plant. Happy growing!
Thats it! I'm getting some!
Ok, now I need to go a-hunting. I already checked out my favorite local nursery and they never heard of it. Guess it will have to be mail order if I want to get some.
Thanks for the heads=up, this looks like my kind of plant!
Gina - yes, you must get some. Try The Natural Garden in St. Charles if you can't find it closer to home.
Melanie - good luck, I hope you find it!
Good tip. This is on my fall buying wish list. Big plant sales start up here in Portland in a couple weeks, so hopefully I'll come across this.
Megan - I hope you find it. If not, I know there are several mailorder places that carry it.
Blue Cohosh? I have tons of shade and I'm always looking out for a great shade plants. Tahnks for the tip!
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