When does Actaea rubra bloom?

Red baneberry produces small white flower clusters in May and June, followed by berries later in the season.

What light and water conditions does Actaea rubra need?

It grows best in part shade to full shade with medium to consistently moist, rich woodland soil, and struggles in dry or fully sunny sites.

What pollinators visit Actaea rubra flowers?

Bees and beetles are the main visitors to its small white flower clusters in spring.

What kind of plant is Actaea rubra?

It is a herbaceous perennial forb that dies back to the ground each winter and regrows from its rootstock in spring.

What type of habitat suits Actaea rubra?

It grows well in cool, shaded forest understories and along streambanks where soil stays moist and organically rich through the growing season.

Is Red Baneberry toxic to dogs?

Yes. Red Baneberry is listed as toxic to dogs by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Is Red Baneberry toxic to cats?

Yes. Red Baneberry is listed as toxic to cats by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Is Red Baneberry HOA-friendly?

Red Baneberry takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Red Baneberry

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Actaea rubra

Last reviewed: September 2026

Actaea rubra is a woodland forb that blooms in May and June, growing best in part shade with medium to consistently moist soil in cool forests across the northern and western United States.

Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra) — Photo: (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Red Baneberry is toxic to dogs and cats.

Listed as toxic by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-08-20). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435and your veterinarian's emergency line.

Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants so you can choose a pet-safe native alternative for your yard.

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

12"–24" H × 12"–18" W

Bloom

May, Jun

Native to

AZ, CA, CO, CT and 26 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Deer

Resistant (per Prairie Moon Nursery)

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Red baneberry is a woodland perennial that produces clusters of small white flowers in late spring followed by bright red berries in summer. This shade-loving plant works well in naturalized areas and provides attractive foliage throughout the growing season. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, so it should be kept away from areas where children or pets play.

Growing Red Baneberry

Grow Red Baneberry in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 12 to 18 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Red Baneberry takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Highly toxic berries pose liability concerns
Woodland appearance may look too wild for formal landscapes
Dies back completely in winter leaving bare spots

Wildlife value

The flowers attract bees and beetles during the blooming period in May and June. Birds may eat the berries, though they are toxic to humans and pets.

Common questions

When does Actaea rubra bloom?: Red baneberry produces small white flower clusters in May and June, followed by berries later in the season.
What light and water conditions does Actaea rubra need?: It grows best in part shade to full shade with medium to consistently moist, rich woodland soil, and struggles in dry or fully sunny sites.
What pollinators visit Actaea rubra flowers?: Bees and beetles are the main visitors to its small white flower clusters in spring.
What kind of plant is Actaea rubra?: It is a herbaceous perennial forb that dies back to the ground each winter and regrows from its rootstock in spring.
What type of habitat suits Actaea rubra?: It grows well in cool, shaded forest understories and along streambanks where soil stays moist and organically rich through the growing season.
Is Red Baneberry toxic to dogs?: Yes. Red Baneberry is listed as toxic to dogs by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Is Red Baneberry toxic to cats?: Yes. Red Baneberry is listed as toxic to cats by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Is Red Baneberry HOA-friendly?: Red Baneberry takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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