Brunette Bugbane

Light Needs

Full Shade to Partial Shade

(0 - 4 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 8

Brunette Bugbane (Actaea ramosa ‘Brunette’), also referred to as snakeroot, is a deep-colored, native herbaceous perennial with long, airy, upright, pinkish-white spiked flower stalks that tower over a mound of striking, dark-purple foliage. These late-season, shade-loving bloomers grow to 3-4 ft in height with a 2-3 foot spread. Brunette Bugbane’s fragrant pinkish-white flowers appear from August through October. 

Brunette Bugbane is a low-maintenance shade perennial that grows in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. The beautifully colored foliage and lovely flower spikes create a nice vertical accent in any shade garden. The fragrant flowers are great for floral arrangements and attracting butterflies too. This garden workhouse is rabbit and deer resistant. 

Brunette Bugbane Care

Plant Brunette Bugbane in partial to full shade: be sure to select a location with protection from direct afternoon sun. Brunette Bugbane likes to be planted in moist, well-draining soil. It tends to grow at a slow rate. Brunette Bugbane will naturally die back to the crown each winter and will regrow from the base each spring. It will benefit from application of a slow-release fertilizer in spring. 

Brunette Bugbane is a good choice for growing in containers too. Place the container in a partial shade location. If planting Brunette Bugbane in a container, be sure it has adequate drainage holes. When growing perennials in containers, they may require more frequent watering during the hot summer months than they would if planted in the landscape. 

Brunette Bugbane Spacing

Give Brunette Bugbane 2 1/2 - 3 ft spacing all around the plant to accommodate its mature size. This perennial makes a colorful accent in any naturalized shade area in the garden, in a container protected from harsh sunlight or in a woodland perennial border.