Black Cohosh

Actaea racemosa, black cohosh, is a tall clumping perennial native to the southeastern United States, reaching four to seven feet in flower. Deeply divided dark green foliage forms a substantial mound, and in midsummer slender wands of tiny white flowers rise well above it, appearing to float in the shade where it grows.

It is one of very few perennials that will flower substantially in deep shade, and the flower spikes are tall enough to read from across a garden. The flowers carry a musty scent that attracts flies and beetles rather than bees, and the plant is a long-established medicinal herb, which is also why its safety profile deserves care.