Nearctica - Eastern Wildflowers - Ranunculaceae

Red Baneberry

(Actaea rubra)

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra (Ait.) Willd.)

Identification: Plant 1 to 2 feet in height. Flowers white, numbers, small located on a long, flower stalk. Flowers arranged in an square to slightly rectangular cluster, each flower with 4 to 10 petals and long stamens. Fruits red each arising from a strong pedicel. Leaves divided into 5 leaflets, each leaflet toothed. Plant 1 to 2 feet in height.

Distribution: Across southern Canada. Southward in the east to Pennsylvania and Illinois. Also occurs throughout most of the western United States and the northern Plains States.

Habitat: Red Baneberry is found in forest.

Flowering period: May to June.

Similar Species: Red Baneberry is most likely to be confused with White Baneberry. The flower cluster of White Baneberry is more elongate than that of Red Baneberry. The fruits of Red Baneberry are red, those of White Baneberry white.

Color photograph: Homer D. House. 1918. Wildflowers of New York.