Doll’s Eye Seeds, White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) – Wild woodland plant with eerie white berries. Toxic, but striking for shade gardens.

Add eerie beauty and gothic charm to your woodland garden with Doll’s Eye (White Baneberry), a native perennial known for its porcelain-white berries with black dots—eerily resembling tiny eyeballs. Native to Eastern North America’s forest understories, this plant stands out for its unique appearance, feathery foliage, and shade tolerance.

Though highly toxic, Doll’s Eye is a powerful ornamental plant for those who love unusual, attention-grabbing flora. It's an excellent choice for native shade gardens, naturalistic plantings, and those cultivating wild or medicinal landscapes—though not for ingestion.

🌱 Key Features:

• 👁️ Unique Aesthetic: White, pupil-like berries appear in late summer and fall

• 🌿 Elegant Texture: Lacy green foliage with deep-cut leaves

• 🍃 Wild Native: Naturally found in deciduous forests of the Appalachian and eastern U.S.

• ⚠️ Highly Toxic: All parts, especially berries, are poisonous if ingested—plant with care

• 🦋 Pollinator Interest: Springtime blooms attract native bees and flies

• ☁️ Shade-Loving: Thrives in part to full shade, perfect under trees

• 🌧️ Moisture-Loving: Prefers moist, rich, humus-based soils

🧑🌾 Planting & Growing Tips:

• Germination: Slow and requires cold stratification (2-stage dormancy: warm period followed by 60–90 days of cold)

• Best Sowing Time: Fall or early spring; or simulate natural cycles indoors

• Light Needs: Part to full shade

• Soil Preference: Moist, well-draining woodland soil rich in organic matter

• Height at Maturity: 18–30 inches

• Spacing: Plant 12–18 inches apart

🌿 Perfect For:

• Shade and woodland gardens

• Native and wild gardens

• Gardeners seeking rare or macabre ornamentals

• Herbalists and foragers (for visual ID—not consumption)

• Fairy gardens with an eerie twist

⚠️ Safety Note:

All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested, especially to children and pets. Best suited for adult gardens or areas away from food-producing beds.

🏞️ A Touch of the Wild, a Hint of the Haunted

Whether you're designing a native shade garden or curating a moody, mysterious landscape, Doll’s Eye (Actaea pachypoda) brings a compelling, otherworldly presence. Rarely seen in cultivation, its ghostly berries and lush foliage make it an unforgettable garden conversation piece.