Brewster museum of natural history May 14 2011
White baneberry is in full flowering mode right now. However, the fruit is the interesting part of this plant: Actaea pachypoda is also known as doll’s eyes, and the fruit looks like a collection of those mounted on a red colored frame. White baneberry is a definite shade plant, and likes sufficient moisture. However, drainage is important and wet feet won’t work.
The plant is very poisonous, but it is the berries that will do you in: They contain a substance that can provoke cardiac arrest, and death! Strangely enough, birds are not harmed by these deceptively dangerous little doll’s eyes.
| Scientific name: | Actaea pachypoda |
| Common name: | white baneberry |
| Other name: | white cohosh, white doll’s eyes |
| Bloom time: | mid spring to early summer |
| Color: | white to near-white |
| Light requirements: | full to partial shade |
| Zone: | 4 to 9 |
| Soil: | strongly acidic to mildly acidic |
| Water: | moist |
| Origin: | eastern North America |
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