Tall Blacksnakeroot
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(Sanicula elata)
Tall Blacksnakeroot (Sanicula elata)
/
Nicola van Berkel
CC BY-SA 4.0
Image By:
Nicola van Berkel
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY-SA 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Nicola van Berkel | License Type: CC BY-SA 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Nicola van Berkel | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-04-04T18:52Z |
Summary
Sanicula elata, commonly known as Tall Blacksnakeroot, is a semi-deciduous herbaceous plant native to Southern Africa and Asia. It typically grows at a moderate rate to a height of 2.5-4 feet (0.8-1.2 meters) and a width of 1.5-2 feet (0.5-0.6 meters). The plant features compound leaves that resemble a bear’s foot, hence the alternate common name Bear’s Foot. It produces small, inconspicuous yellow or greenish flowers clustered in umbels, blooming in late spring to early summer. The flowers are not particularly showy but are attractive to pollinators.
Tall Blacksnakeroot is valued for its foliage and adaptability to shady conditions, making it suitable for woodland gardens, naturalized areas, and shaded borders. It is relatively low maintenance, thriving in medium-draining loam or clay soils. While it prefers part shade or full shade, it is tolerant of a range of soil conditions. Gardeners should be aware that it can self-seed and spread, which may be desirable for naturalistic plantings but could require management in more formal settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Tall Blacksnakeroot is valued for its foliage and adaptability to shady conditions, making it suitable for woodland gardens, naturalized areas, and shaded borders. It is relatively low maintenance, thriving in medium-draining loam or clay soils. While it prefers part shade or full shade, it is tolerant of a range of soil conditions. Gardeners should be aware that it can self-seed and spread, which may be desirable for naturalistic plantings but could require management in more formal settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Herb
- Height: 2.5-4 feet
- Width: 1.5-2 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: Green, Yellow
- Flowering Season: Spring, Summer
- Leaf Retention: Semi-deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
- Drainage: Medium
Common Uses
Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Low Maintenance
Natural Habitat
moist, shady habitats near streams, along riverbanks, on wet rocks at the edge of forests, and near waterfalls
Other Names
Common Names: Snakeroot, Bear’s Foot
Scientific Names: Sanicula elata, Eryngium moluccanum, Eryngium moluccanum, Sanicula canadensis, Sanicula capensis, Sanicula elata, Sanicula elata var. partita, Sanicula europaea, Sanicula europaea subsp. elata, Sanicula europaea var. capensis
GBIF Accepted Name: Sanicula elata