Baneberry

Common Name: Baneberry

Latin Name: Actaea spicata

Family: Ranunculaceae

Baneberry is a strong smelling perennial herb. It has white beetle-pollinated flowers that appear from May which develop into poisonous berries which are black when ripe in mid summer. Another name for baneberry is herb Christopher.

In the British Isles baneberry is rare and scarce. It has a northern distribution and has the ability to tolerate heavy shade and can consequently grow in areas inaccessible to livestock. It is therefore often found in the grykes of limestone pavements and in upland mixed ash woodlands.

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park baneberry is rare but can be found on limestone pavements in the southern part of the National Park. There is some evidence that between the 1970s and 2002 the distribution of baneberry increased in the National Park.