It is Bugbane (Cimicifuga ramosa). I think I'm gonna love this plant!
The foliage alone is gorgeous. It sends out these blooms of white lace in early fall and has a lengthy blooming time. It will self-seed but won't 'take over'. It can get up to 3 feet tall so is good for the back of a border. It does well in dense shade, but tolerates light, as well. I never planted it and it showed up, unannounced...but when I figured out what it was, I wondered why I hadn't purposely sought it out! It's a North American native plant, and I hope it will scatter seeds everywhere because I'd enjoy having my shady side-garden filled with these lovelies every fall! It is growing amongst my astilbe. I suppose it's possible that it was accidentally mis-labeled, or that some seeds mistakingly got mixed up in pots at the nursery. It doesn't really matter 'how' or 'why', though, because I love it and feel fortunate that it found me!
Stay tuned for the 2nd featured plant in my September Series of Surprises.
--Today I am thankful for serendipitous discoveries in my garden;-)
Words and photos by Jan Huston DobleThanks For 2 Day.
Aren't surprises fun? What a beauty.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan, so nice to see you posting. Hope you are well. I love the bugbane too and wish we had it here. I bought one with dark leaves, or so I thought since it was labeled as one, that turned out to be a geranium! Maybe yours was a mislabeled astilbe, like you say, for the foliage is similar. Lucky you, this is a wonderful plant!
ReplyDeleteFrances
Jan,
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely flowers! I have never tried growing Bugbane before, I am going to have to see what it takes to grow it. You hit the jackpot, getting this surprise!Rosey
Hello Jan. This post about Bugbane is interesting to me because I've seen mention of it on several blogs lately and saw it in person while in Door County a few weeks ago and I like it a lot. I'll be watching for SSS #2.
ReplyDeleteJan girl ! Welcome to this "bugbane club" ! .. I have four, maybe that is five ? varieties of them and I love them : ) .. the darker foliage ones are very dramatic and they can get much taller than 3 feet .. so that impact is wonderful : )
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it found YOU : )
Joy
I oove, love, love my bugbane, but it blooms a lot earlier int he year. I keep its stalks (over 6 ft.) all season. They've gone and changed its genus name from Cimicifuga to Actaea, btw. This kind of bugs me because it seems to have one superfluous a, and this is one of the first Latin names I learned!
ReplyDeleteLooks great - enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteHOW DELIGHTFUL!! I have been thinking about what gorgeous plants there are for a shady spot. We are hoping to move house and I can't help but think about what my favs are. I want a bugbane (fab name) now, so delicate and light. Enjoy your little surprise.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Jan! I love this plant, but don't have it in my garden. I need to put it on my list since it has everything that I love in plants. Thanks for reminding me about it! Images are lovely!
ReplyDeleteLovely, the photos and the plant. The white flowers must give light to the garden. I never saw a 'bugbane' around here.
ReplyDeleteYou are really lucky :))
Big Hug
I've seen this plant featured on several blogs, and it has intrigued me. Your photos are beautiful and make me want one even more. How lucky you are to have this bugbane; usually most of my surprises turn out to be weeds:)
ReplyDeleteThat would be a great one to have as a surprise! I wish I could get some surprise ones. I have a couple growing and just love them. They have such a nice scent.
ReplyDeleteWhat awesome close-ups, Jan. I am glad to hear Bugbane doesn well in shade. I am getting more and more shady spots as the trees grow. Maybe a gift from the birds?
ReplyDeleteJan~~ You know what I say when a plant rises and shines without my consent? I say a plane flew over and dropped its seed. This can be a blessing or a curse, of course. In your case, definitely a blessing!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! My husband always laughs at me when something comes up that I didn't plant and I don't understand it. He says that's what seeds to - they scatter!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great plant! I had it in my last garden (only for one summer before I moved) and I loved it.
ReplyDeleteYou have reminded me why I liked it so much - and I will definitely have to get more.
Enjoy your sweet surprise!
This is another plant that intrigues me, but then I never remember to look for it when I go to a nursery that would carry unique perennials. It looks so lovely!
ReplyDeleteCameron
I had no idea Bugane could be so beautiful. Look forward to more September surprises.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty, and I love fall bloomers.
ReplyDeleteA very wonderful surprise indeed. Bugbane is a nice fall bloomer that I like because it does well in the shade and let me tell you, that is most important. I hope yours spreads itself around as it looks most happy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind wishes to my daughter and thanks to you and your family for your service too.
I have got to add Bugbane to my garden. Beautiful flowers, and beautiful photos too!
ReplyDeleteTruly a blessing.. Hope more lovely suprises blooms your way.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful plant! Bugbane's blooms reminds me in looks of the those of the shrub TX kidneywood. I know they aren't in the same plant family, but they both have those nice long stems of little white flowers. Mine's blooming now, too, which is why I thought of it. Gorgeous surprise!
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question you left me on my blog:
ReplyDeleteBugbane and Black Cohosh are common names for the same plant - Cimicifuga racemosa - formally known as Actaea racemosa.
White Snakeroot is a completely different plant - Eupatorium rugosum. It's related to Boneset and Joe-Pye-Weed although it doesn't look much like them. (except the flower clusters of snakeroot and boneset are pretty similar)