Actaea Queen of Sheba

Actaea 'Queen of Sheba' is a particularly large hybrid variety obtained by Piet Oudolf, the famous naturalistic landscape designer. It develops a cut purple foliage in spring, which then turns khaki green. Its very late flowering is even more enchanting than other varieties due to its large size. The graceful flower spikes on large curved stems are beautifully scented. Plants for semi-shade and very-moist soil, Actaeas sometimes suffer from too much sun in summer, but this variety is more resistant to hot and dry summers than others.

Actaea or Cimicifuga, also called Bugbane, belongs to the buttercup family. It is a very hardy plant, originally from northeastern Russia, Mongolia, and Japan. Actaea 'Queen of Sheba' is a rare horticultural creation. It is a hybrid of the Asian species Actaea simplex and the American species Actaea racemosa. This perennial has a bushy habit with ample, attractive cut and toothed foliage consisting of leaves 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24in) long, initially purple, evolving to a khaki green. Its leaves are lighter in the shade, and darker in the sun. At maturity, this Actaea can reach 2 m (7ft) high when flowering and a spread of over 1 m (3ft). Its flower spikes are topped with a white inflorescence with pink highlights and have a delightful vanilla scent, appreciated by butterflies. They are particularly late, sometimes not appearing until October. After this exquisite flowering, brown fruits carried by red stems adorn the plant until the end of winter. The aerial vegetation dries up in autumn and emerges from the ground in spring.

Actaea 'Queen of Sheba' is a majestic plant that thrives in borders in semi-shade or in woodland areas with moist soil. It is an excellent perennial for shaded areas. Use its graceful scented flower spikes for bouquet arrangements. Combine it with tall perennials such as Astilboides Tabularis, large Hostas, voluminous ferns, and Rodgersias.