Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is in bloom along the trails up here right now. They have always made me think of ghosts of the people who lived here for thousands of years before now. Reminders of the past.
Black Cohosh is a herbaceous perennial that grows quite tall, between three and seven feet tall, one of the largest woodland wildflowers.
Tall stems are covered with many flowers. Each of those flowers is 2/3 inch across and snow white, with 24 stamens and a one pistil.
Each little flower is replaced by a fruit, called a follicle, which is about 1/3 inch long. As the follicle dries it splits open releasing several seeds.
Black Cohosh is the only known host plant for Appalachian Azure butterflies. The butterflies lay their eggs on the flower buds and once hatched the larvae eat the flowers.
Black Cohosh, right up there along with many favorites here on my mountain.
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