Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants

Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Black Negligee'

£16.00 GBP

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Size 3 Litre

Plants are dispatched in growing condition and may not be in full flower. If too tall to pack safely, we may cut them back — this helps them establish more quickly. Read our Mail Order FAQs.

‘Black Negligee’ is highly sought after for its near-black, deeply divided foliage and the willowy bottlebrush spikes of fluffy, scented white flowers that rise majestically above it in September and October.

The dramatic foliage is reason enough to grow it — building into generous mounds through summer that provide a striking dark backdrop for neighbouring plants. Rabbit resistant and pollinator-friendly, it thrives in partial shade in cool, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil. Water well during dry spells in summer.

Height × Spread: 135cm × 80cm

☀️ Sunlight Partial shade

📅 Season of Interest Summer, Autumn

🌸 Flower Colour White

🌿 Foliage Colour Purple

🪏 Preferred Soil Type Clay, Loamy

💧 Soil Moisture Content Moderate

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Plant Notes

Care Guide:
Grow in cool, dappled shade in moist, reasonably fertile soil enriched with organic matter. Mulch to maintain soil moisture and condition. Cut back to around 5cm once the foliage dies back in autumn. Actaea is long-lived and can be left undisturbed — it does not need regular division. It dislikes hot, dry conditions.
Good to Know:
Wildlife-friendly — nectar-rich flowers attract bumblebees and other pollinators in autumn.

Long-lived and easy to grow once established.

⚠️ Humans: Harmful if eaten.

Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Black Negligee'