| Plants of the Forest | |||
| Common Name: | Baneberry | Scientific Name: | Actaea rubra |
| Blooms: | May - July | Native: | Yes. Native of the area |
| Special Comments: | A small group of these plants can be found in Pourroy's Garden. They're hard to spot until they create a beautiful, but poisonous clump of red berries in late July.
Baneberry typically lives near streams and in moist woods. Its presence in the garden may indicate that a water seep exists below the surface. While birds have been observed eating the pretty red berries of the coast red elderberry that grows across the trail from the baneberry, birds seem to instinctively know to leave the baneberries alone. If you walk the trail in late July and early August, you'll see the baneberries sitting for weeks unharmed, spoiling in the noonday sun. Who says birds aren't smart? |
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