# red baneberry (*Actaea rubra*) Red baneberry is a plant with bright red berries that look like little jewels! It grows in shady places and is often found in forests. The berries are pretty but should not be eaten. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 4/5 · High - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Doll's Eyes ![red baneberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Actaea_erythrocarpa0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Actaea_erythrocarpa0.jpg) ## Appearance The red baneberry is an erect plant with sharply toothed, compound leaves. It features bottlebrush-like clusters of small, fuzzy white flowers in spring. Its most striking feature is the clusters of glossy, bright red berries, each with a distinctive black dot, making them resemble tiny doll's eyes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Ranunculaceae - **Genus:** Actaea ## Interesting facts - Before the berries appear, this plant has fluffy white flowers that look like tiny bottle brushes! - Its bright red berries look like tiny doll's eyes, even having a black 'pupil' dot! - Underground, it has roots that spread out to help it pop up in new spots year after year! - While toxic to humans, many birds can safely gobble up its berries for a tasty snack! ## Special abilities - **Berry Signal:** Red baneberry has bright red berries that attract birds, helping it spread its seeds far and wide to new locations. - **Toxic Defense:** Red baneberry's leaves and berries contain toxic compounds that protect it from most animals trying to eat them. - **Underground Spreader:** Red baneberry has strong underground rhizomes that allow it to spread and form new plants, even after harsh winters. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins consume its berries for food. - **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — Waxwings feast on its ripe fruits. - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Bees collect nectar from its flowers. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Toxic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/toxic): Toxic organisms contain substances that are poisonous and can cause adverse effects upon exposure. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 4/5 · High Do not touch or eat the berries, as they can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify red baneberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is red baneberry? 30-90 cm ### How wide does red baneberry spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on red baneberry? 0.5-1 cm ### When does red baneberry bloom? Spring ### Is red baneberry edible? No ### Is red baneberry toxic? High ### What is red baneberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Cut Bank Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cut-bank-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Kincaid Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kincaid-park) — Alaska, US · Park - [Minnesota Landscape Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-landscape-arboretum) — Minnesota, US · Botanical Garden - [William Allen White Cabins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/william-allen-white-cabins) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [William O'Brien State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/william-obrien-state-park) — Minnesota, US · State Park [View all places to see red baneberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-baneberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Red Baneberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-baneberry)