DESCRIPTION: Purple-Leaf Bugbane features bold spikes of fragrant light pink to white flowers rising above green and purple foliage from mid to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive serrated compound leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning dark green to dark purple throughout the season. 

BOTANICAL NAME: Actaea racemosa 'Atropurpurea'
OTHER NAMES: Banesberry, Fairy Candle
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 175 cm
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 100 cm
SUN EXPOSURE: Partial shade
FLOWER COLOUR: Light pink to white
FLOWERING TIME: Fall
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Deep green to purple black
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 3 ( Should survive up to -39.9° Celsius )
WATER NEEDS: Average
OTHER FEATURES: Attractive Foliage, Border, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Rabbit Resistant

Landscape Attributes

Purple-Leaf Bugbane is an herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Purple-Leaf Bugbane is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Purple-Leaf Bugbane will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 5 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.