Bugbane 'Hillside Black Beauty' (Actaea simplex 'Hillside Black Beauty'): Deep Purple-Black Foliage and Fragrant Fall Flowers

Overview

'Hillside Black Beauty' offers deep purple-black foliage (3–6 feet) as a backdrop for shade plants. In fall, fragrant cream-colored flowers appear on tall, wand-like stems. Deer resistant.

Cultivation

Moist, fertile, organic-rich soil in partial shade. Sow seed in autumn; divide in early spring.

Significance

Unlike other bugbanes, the dark foliage provides season-long contrast. Michael Ruggiero recommends it for mid-Atlantic gardens.