The plant racemose black cohosh (tsimitsifuga branched) has been known to mankind since ancient times. As you might guess from the name, its insecticidal properties are used in our country, in England the species is included in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a valuable medicinal raw material, and its decorative effect and spectacular appearance are actively used in horticulture. Moreover, black cohosh won the British Award of Garden Merit in 1993, which is awarded to garden plants based on the results of testing in gardens or special collections.
Black cohosh: botanical description
This species belongs to the genus Voronets from the Buttercup family. It is a herbaceous perennial plant with a straight, smooth stem having a rectangular cross-section and complex-shaped leaves that appear directly from a fleshy rhizome. Black cohosh has an impressive size and reaches a height of 1.5 to 2.5 m during the flowering period.
The plant has twotypes of leaves: basal and petiolate. The first ones are wide and long, the second ones are twice or thrice tripartite. The leaves have a rich dark green color with a glossy sheen, the order of their arrangement is next. In the midst of growth, the plant is characterized by a very spectacular appearance. A powerful bush is formed by up to 70 oval leaves with a plate length of up to 12 cm.
Cymicifuga racemose blooms from June to September. Brushes up to 1 m long develop at the top of the stem. The flowers are white, with an unpleasant bittersweet aroma, attracting mainly flies as pollinators, pubescent. The fruit is a leaflet (0.5-1 cm in length) with seeds in an amount of 8 to 10 pieces. It remains on the plant in winter and makes a characteristic sound when the wind blows. For this feature, cimicifuga received one of its names in England - rattling weed (rattle weed).
Growth area
Natural habitat - moist deciduous forests of eastern North America. So, black cohosh is found from Massachusetts and Ontario to Missouri, from Wisconsin to Arkansas in the west, from Georgia to Alabama - in the south. He prefers moist deciduous forests and edges, banks of streams and rivers, ravines, bushes and tall grass. Grows well in soils rich in humus. The plant is widely distributed in the specified area and is common for these places.
Use in decorative floriculture
The plant cimicifuga branched is a spectacular perennial introduced into culture back in 1732year. It is surprisingly beautiful and original thanks to the carved leaves collected in a lush shock. The impression of the plant doubles during the flowering period, when powerful flower stalks appear from the very center. Varieties with different shades of petals have been bred. For example, Pink Spike (photo below). Black cohosh is a long-liver and can grow in one place for 15-20 years without a transplant. A great choice for a natural garden setting.
The racemose black cohosh, the photo of which is presented in the article, will be equally good both in single plantings and in a group among the lawn, in mixborders. This is a plant of the upper tier, so it is worth planting it in the back, in more shady corners, but still in plain sight. Despite the bitter smell, black cohosh is often used as a cut flower to create autumn bouquets. It gives them grace and lightness, creates an openwork background thanks to the rich carved green foliage. Good neighbors for the plant will be aconites, astilbes, fern hosts (especially shieldmen and osmunds), bergenia, as well as undersized conifers.
Choose a site on the site and soil
As mentioned above, the cimicifuga plant in its natural habitat prefers well-moistened places with diffused light. This factor must be taken into account when choosing a site for its landing. Remember that the black cohosh tolerates a transplant rather poorly and recovers for a long time, so it is better to initially choose a permanent place of residence for it. It was then that he will surprise you from year to year with his strength of growth and amazing beauty. Prefer sunny areas with partial shade in the afternoon, well protected from wind and drafts.
The soil for black cohosh should be deeply cultivated, fertile and moderately moist. Avoid wetlands with stagnant moisture. When planting a plant, add humus and drainage to the bottom of the pit in the form of expanded clay or brick chips.
Plant care
One of the main advantages of the species is that it is an unpretentious plant. Cimicifuga is resistant to adverse conditions, pests and diseases. Plant care consists mainly in mulching the earth around the bush - this is necessary to maintain moisture in the soil, and abundant watering in dry, hot weather. Under the canopy of powerful black cohosh leaves, weeds practically do not develop. Pictured above is the Brunette variety.
Large flower stalks are quite strong, but it is better to tie up the tallest of them so that they can withstand strong winds and showers. After the end of the flowering period, they can be left until winter. The decorativeness practically does not suffer from this, the flower stalks become white-green at first, then pods appear, eventually they turn brown and resemble a rattle in the wind. In late autumn, during cleaning in the garden, it is necessary to cut the plant. Tsimitsifuga winters well in our climate, so shelter is usually not required. Leaves are cut at the very surface of the earth.
Plant propagation
Tsimitsifuga branched can be propagated by twomethods: seed and vegetative. In the first case, some flower growers recommend sowing seeds immediately after they are collected, that is, before winter.
However, the most popular is a different opinion. Freshly sown cimicifuga seeds most often rot, while 100% germination is observed with a certain treatment. They must be stored in a dry place for six months, while the first three months - at a temperature of +22 ° C, and the second half of the period - at +4 ° C. Plants grown from seeds begin to bloom after 2-3 years.
Many ranunculus plants, including black cohosh, reproduce well vegetatively.
This can be done by dividing the mother bush aged 5 years and older, or by grafting a bud, a basal shoot with a “heel”. The best time is early spring.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga branched): traditional medicine
It is assumed that the healing properties of the plant were known to some Indian tribes in North America long before Europeans appeared on the continent. For the preparation of decoctions and tinctures, the roots of cimicifuga were used. Moreover, their use was not limited to a particular disease. According to written records of the 19th century, the Indians used alcoholic tinctures or herbal teas as a sedative, diuretic, for women's diseases, and lotions and compresses were made on snake bites, sore joints and backs. Along with some other cimicifugu plantsincluded in tonic drinks.
Black cohosh (see photo above) attracted the attention of official medicine in the 18-19th century. Between 1820 and 1926, the plant was listed in the American Pharmacopoeia. The list of indications for use included lung diseases, neurotic disorders, rheumatism, swelling of the legs, gynecological diseases, including infertility. The plant is especially popular in herbal medicine.
Opinion of official medicine
Currently, black cohosh is used mainly in the production of biologically active food supplements, which are recommended for women to take. In 2013, German scientists conducted a comprehensive analysis of clinical trials of various dietary supplements. The results are available for study in journals and medical databases. All drugs were well tolerated with minimal side effects.
British scientists, however, warn that Cimicifuga branched can be dangerous with prolonged use. The use of plant extracts can cause thickening of the uterine lining, and this is a risk factor for cancer. The toxic effect of black cohosh on the liver has been repeatedly stated, but this has not been clinically confirmed.
