Red Baneberry

(Actaea rubra)

Red Baneberry is a member of the Buttercup Family. It is poisonous. All parts of the plant are poisonous. The berries are far more toxic than the rest of the plant.

 Consuming large quantities could cause heart attacks or complete respiratory paralysis. Children usually eat these berries. Other symptoms that may occur could include stomach cramps, headache, dizziness or hallucinations.

These plants typically grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet and have compound leaves with toothed edges. The flowers are small and white, arranged in clusters at the top of the plant’s stem. They bloom in late spring or early summer.

The berries’ importance to wildlife is minimal for two reasons. First, the plant is not very common and second, it has a bitter taste. As the flowers have no nectar, bees mostly visit them for pollen. The birds that eat the berries try only to eat the fruit, and not the seeds contained within.  These birds include grouse, sapsuckers, and most thrushes, including the American robin. The natural distribution of seeds is by birds that eat a few seeds and then spread them around in their droppings. Insects play a big role in propagation.

Red Baneberry likes to grow in deciduous forests. Here on Vancouver Island, they can be found growing in mixed forests of maple, alder and coniferous trees. The plants in these photos were taken on the very northern end of Vancouver Island.

There are very few modern ways to use Red Baneberry for medicinal or culinary purposes.  But its uses in the past were much more extensive. First Nations People would use parts of the plant to treat digestive issues, as a wash for rheumatism and to treat toothache pain. They would make a beautiful red dye from the berries.

A message from Bud

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