Blue Cohosh

April 28, 2026

Small, pale yellow, blooming in the woods in late April. The blossoms of Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides).

A perennial that grows to a height of 1 to 3 feet tall. Its “berries” turn blue-black in mid-August. Not actually berries at all, but seeds with a covering which creates a berry appearance. And those berries look very much like the Blueberries (Vaccinium) that we put on our cereal at breakfast, add to muffins, and bake in pies. The berries of Blue Cohosh though are poisonous to humans. Birds can safely eat them though, and they thoroughly enjoy them.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “Blue Cohosh”

    1. Hahaha! I suppose just a matter of Blue Cohosh blooming right now. I thoroughly enjoy doing these posts. I had no idea that those “berries” that Blue Cohosh developes over the summer are not actually berries at all!

      So glad you read my posts Leigh!!
      Bren

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