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P11. Actaea (syn. Cimicifuga) 'Hillside Black Beauty'
Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–8
Partial shade to full shade
Average soil
4–6 feet tall
Developed by the late Fred McGourty (a former staff member at BBG) and his wife, Mary Ann, of Hillside Gardens, this bugbane cultivar is noted for its fernlike coppery-purple foliage and stunningly contrasting creamy-white flowers. The strongly fragrant flowers appear on tall spikes in late summer to early fall and are sometimes tinged with pink. Easy to grow in humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil, 'Hillside Black Beauty' prefers partial to full shade. It provides excellent texture, color, and structure to woodland gardens and shaded parts of the border.
Photo Courtesy of Horticopia