Article: Cimicifuga racemosa

Cimicifuga racemosa (Black cohosh, Black bugbane or Black snakeroot; syn. Actaea racemosa) is a member of the family Ranunculaceae, native to eastern North America from the extreme south of Ontario south to central Georgia, and west to Missouri and Arkansas.

It is a glabrous herbaceous perennial plant, growing 0.75-2.5 m tall. The basal leaves are up to 1 m long and broad, tripinnately compound, the leaflets with a coarsely toothed margin. The flowers are produced in late spring and early summer on a tall stem in racemes up to 50 cm long; they have no petals or sepals, only a tight cluster of 55-110 white stamens 5-10 mm long surrounding the white stigma. The flowers have an unpleasant smell. The fruit is a dry follicle 5-10 mm long containing several seeds.

Although Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) is similarly named, it is actually a plant in a separate genus.

Herbal use

Black cohosh is an herbal medication included in dietary supplements designed for women which may help the symptoms of premenstrual tension, menopause and other gynecological problems. It was thought that black cohosh contained estrogen-like chemicals, but recent research suggests that it works by binding to serotonin receptors. There are few direct side-effects, except for occasional gastric discomfort, and rare hepatic dysfunction. Because of its estrogen-like effects, it may promote metastasis of breast cancer tissue (In an experiment done on mice, black cohosh increased metastasis of cancer to the lungs, but did not cause an increased incidence of breast cancer).

Native Americans used black cohosh to treat other disorders as well, including sore throats and kidney problems.

Black cohosh should not be used during pregnancy or lactation; it was once thought to contain formononetin, a plant estrogen, yet recent studies of black cohosh and popular preparations based on it ("Remifemin") indicate it contains no detectable formononetin. Previous indications of formononetin could have been caused by unintentional contamination with other plant species. Black cohosh has been used as an abortifacient.

Garden use

Cimicifuga racemosa grows in dependably moist, fairly heavy soil. It bears tall tapering racemes of white midsummer flowers on wiry stems, whose mildly unpleasant, medicinal smell at close range gives it the common name 'Bugbane'. The drying seed heads stay handsome in the garden for many weeks. Its stylish deeply cut leaves have made it welcome in American gardens, wherever summer heat and drought do not make it die back.

A garden cultivar with black-purple stems, C. racemosa 'Atropurpurea' is a popular garden perennial.