White Baneberry, Actaea pachypoda Elliot, Minnesota native flowering plants, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

(Doll's Eyes). Baneberries are erect perennial woodland plants, 1 to 2 1/2 feet high, whose small white 4 to 10 part flowers occur on a single raceme. The leaves of A pachypoda are divided 2 to 3 times into separate unevenly but sharply toothed, oblong 3-part leaflets which are usually hairless on the underside. This is similar to the red baneberry, A. rubra, except that A. rubra usually has hair on the underside. The white flowers are 4-10 parted and appear in a dense long-stalked cluster that is normally longer than wide. A. rubra has a more rounded cluster. The flower petals fall off early leaving the white stamens. The mature fruit is a white berry which is distinguished from the white-berry form of the Red Baneberry by the individual berries having a pink to red very thick stalk. Both however, have the dark spot at the end of the berry, from whence comes the alternate common name of "doll's eyes". HAZARD: Baneberry plants are poisonous and the berries are considered especially poisonous. The botanical names are Greek. Pachypoda refers to "a thick foot" referring to the thick berry stalks.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	White Baneberry	Actaea pachypoda Elliot	Buttercup (Ranunculaceae)	Woodland	Spring
Other names and notes	(Doll's Eyes). Baneberries are erect perennial woodland plants, 1 to 2 1/2 feet high, whose small white 4 to 10 part flowers occur on a single raceme. The leaves of A pachypoda are divided 2 to 3 times into separate unevenly but sharply toothed, oblong 3-part leaflets which are usually hairless on the underside. This is similar to the red baneberry, A. rubra, except that A. rubra usually has hair on the underside. The white flowers are 4-10 parted and appear in a dense long-stalked cluster that is normally longer than wide. A. rubra has a more rounded cluster. The flower petals fall off early leaving the white stamens. The mature fruit is a white berry which is distinguished from the white-berry form of the Red Baneberry by the individual berries having a pink to red very thick stalk. Both however, have the dark spot at the end of the berry, from whence comes the alternate common name of "doll's eyes". HAZARD: Baneberry plants are poisonous and the berries are considered especially poisonous. The botanical names are Greek. Pachypoda refers to "a thick foot" referring to the thick berry stalks.