Black Cohosh

Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

Black Cohosh
Cimicifuga racemosa [C-value 10]
Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
Blooms July - mid-August

The native Black Cohosh is rare in Illinois. It is on the Illinois Endangered Species List and is monitored as one of our Plants of Concern It prefers partial sun to medium shade and slightly moist rich loamy soil. Habitats include deciduous woodlands where Sugar Maple is often dominant and bases of bluffs along rivers. This perennialis 3-6' tall with hairless stems and large compound leaves that are bipinnate or tripinnate with 10 or more coarsely toothed leaflets up to 4" long and 3" across. It has erect, narrowly cylindrical, flower racemes densely covered with buds on top, flowers in the middle, and fruits below. Each white "star-burst" flower is about 2/3" across on a short pedicel.

Black Cohosh flower spikes (not yet blooming) in private garden June 25, 2019

Black Cohosh (lower foliage) in private garden June 25, 2019

Black Cohosh starting to bloom in private garden July 3, 2019

Black Cohosh in bloom in private garden July 3, 2019

Black Cohosh raceme in bloom in private garden July 3, 2019

Black Cohosh late-season spikes with follicles (fruits) with seeds on private property in Kendall County August 13, 2018

Black Cohosh late-season mid-stalk leaves on private property in Kendall County August 13, 2018

The root of Black Cohosh was used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans and became a popular treatment for women’s health issues in Europe in the 1950s. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.

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