SafePlants

Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra)

Actaea rubra, commonly known as red baneberry, chinaberry, or doll's eye, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is known for its bright red berries, which are poisonous.

Considerations for Pets

• All parts of the plant are considered toxic.
• The plant produces berries that are an attractive but toxic nuisance to animals.

Considerations for Children

• The plant produces berries that are an attractive but toxic nuisance to children.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
• Common Names: Red baneberry, chinaberry, doll's eye, baneberry, herb Christopher, red cohosh, bugbane, toadroot, snakeberry, poison de couleuvre.
• Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)
• Synonyms: A. arguta Nutt. Actaea erythrocarpa
• Subspecies: Actaea rubra subspecies arguta

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to North America and Eurasia.
• Found in rich, moist forests.
• A circumboreal species, also found in New England.
• Prefers moist woods in the Northern Temperate Zone.

Morphological Characteristics

• Grows in bushy clumps.
• Reaches up to 2 feet tall.
• Has fine-textured foliage resembling Astilbe.
• Bears fluffy clusters of small white flowers in spring.
• Produces brilliant red (or occasionally white or ivory) berries in mid to late summer, each containing 9 to 16 red-brown seeds.
• Has large, highly divided leaves.
• Flowers are about 0.3 inches (0.8 cm) across.
• Stems are stout and leafy, with a woody base, growing to 1-3 feet tall.
• Normally solitary perennial from fleshy rootstalk (rhizome) erect, hairless, stem once-branched, few to numerous leaves.

Quirky Facts

• The name "baneberry" comes from the Old Norse word 'bane'.
• Native Americans used the juice from the fruits of various baneberry species to poison arrows, and used the root of the Red Baneberry as a herbal remedy.
• The genus name Actaea comes from the Greek word "aktea," meaning "elder tree" (Sambucus nigra), due to the similarity of the leaves. The species name rubra means "red."