Bugbane 'Brunette'

Questions about bugbane 'Brunette'

Does bugbane 'Brunette' need sun or shade?

Bugbane 'Brunette' grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does bugbane 'Brunette' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does bugbane 'Brunette' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early September to early October. As an autumn flower it keeps much the same dates in every zone: it answers to shortening days and cool nights more than to the warmth of spring.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should bugbane 'Brunette' be planted?

24 in (60 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is about its full width, so each plant keeps its own outline.

It grows 5 ft (150 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many bugbane 'Brunette' plants do I need?

At 24 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 3 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 6 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 10 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, repeated along the bed at intervals; a slender one reads better as a clump of three.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is bugbane 'Brunette' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts are poisonous if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like bugbane 'Brunette'?

These come closest to doing what bugbane 'Brunette' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Culver's root 'Fascination': the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid July to late August, lavender, not white.
• Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster': the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late June to early October, tan, not white.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat bugbane 'Brunette'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after bugbane 'Brunette'?

Bugbane 'Brunette' is over by early October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Japanese onion 'Ozawa': from early October to early November, 10 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Bodnant viburnum 'Dawn': from early November to late December, 10 ft tall.
• Common witch hazel: from mid October to late November, 15 ft tall.

What does bugbane 'Brunette' look like in winter?

Bugbane 'Brunette' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.

Is bugbane 'Brunette' good for bees and butterflies?

Bugbane 'Brunette' is visited by pollinators.