Mountain Bugbane
Actaea podocarpa
Also known as: mountain bugbane
- Native to:
- United States
Mason Brock ( Masebrock (en.wikipedia.org) )
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Actaea
- Species:
- Actaea podocarpa
- USDA Symbol:
- ACPO11
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded woodland environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist then warm stratification (double dormancy) — 60–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold. Germination can be erratic and may take up to two years.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI