26-30” tall x 24-36” wide. If you’ve got a shady garden with rich, moist soil, Doll’s Eyes (Actaea) will thrive and bring ‘the unusual’ to that garden in late summer. Also known as baneberry, this long-lived perennial has a pleasing texture and habit, covering itself with soft, off-white bottlebrush blossoms in mid-spring. In summer, small white fruits develop with a purplish-black ‘eye’ which is actually the scar from the flower stigma. The effect is charming, but although it might be thought of as a choice for children’s gardens, all parts of the plant are poisonous. Doll’s Eyes requires steady moisture, but also requires well-drained soil as it cannot sit in standing water. It’s a great choice for the edges of a woodland blessed with humus-rich soil. Not only will it benefit from the shade and organic matter, the gardener will benefit from seeing those wonderful berries up close.
More Information
SKU |
AM014813 |
Item Package Size |
Bag of 2 |
Common Name |
Doll's Eyes |
Botanical Name |
Actaea pachypoda |
Zones |
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
Light Requirements |
Half Sun / Half Shade, Full Shade |
Flower Color |
White |
Mature Height |
36 inches |
Mature Height |
26-30" tall |
Estimated Mature Spread |
24-36" wide |
Bloom Season |
Mid - Late Spring |
Bloom Time |
Late spring to early summer |
Planting Depth |
Plant so that the top of the root is 1" below the soil line. |
Ships As |
Bare Root |
Foliage |
Three toothed leaflets per stem. |
Soil Type |
Loamy Soil, Moist / Wet Soil |
Soil Moisture |
Moist / Wet, Well Draining |
Advantages |
Fragrant, Native, Multiplies / Naturalizes, Winter Interest |
Planting Time |
Fall |
Ships to Hawaii, Alaska & Canada |
No |