Hillside Black Beauty Bugbane (Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Hillside Black Beauty')
ak-TAY-ah SIM-plex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Hillside Black Beauty'

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Ranunculaceae Family
This enchanting bugbane has young foliage that transitions from vibrant green to an iridescent purple black. In late summer, its impressive stems are crowned with foot long, fragrant white flowers delicately blushed with pale pink.

Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Hillside Black Beauty' is prized for having some of the darkest foliage of any bugbane cultivar — per its US Plant Patent (PP9988), notably darker than the related 'Brunette'. Young leaves emerge green and deepen to an iridescent purple-black as the season progresses. In late summer, tall stems are topped with foot-long, richly fragrant white flower spikes lightly blushed with pale pink, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Bred by Mary Ann McGourty, it thrives in partial to full shade and consistently moist, humus-rich soil, and is slow to establish but long-lived once settled in.

Pros

  • Among the darkest-foliaged bugbane cultivars available (per US Plant Patent 9988)
  • Richly fragrant late-summer flowers, likened to phlox and ripe grapes
  • Attracts pollinators and hummingbirds; deer and rabbit resistant

Cons

  • Slow to establish — takes a few years to reach a full clump
  • Foliage scorches or suffers if soil is allowed to dry out
  • Berries and roots toxic to people and pets
Highlights One of the darkest-foliaged bugbane cultivars available, bred and patented (US PP9988) by Mary Ann McGourty; its late-summer flower spikes carry a rich fragrance recalling phlox and ripe grapes.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 4 - 6 feet tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Foliage scorches and growth slows if allowed to dry out; needs consistently moist soil.
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Colorful Foliage, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Fall Color, Fall interest, For a Shady Spot, Formal Garden, Foundation, Fragrant, Fragrant Flowers, Full Shade, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Modern Garden, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Specimen, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period August - September
Flower Color White, blushed pale pink
Foliage Color
 

Awards
 

Most Popular Plants
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Hosta, Ferns, Astilbe, Ligularia, Coneflower, Japanese Painted Fern, Brunnera, Tiarella, Pulmonaria, Coral Bells.

Photos of This with...

Sunray Tickseed
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!