The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Caulophyllum
Also called Blue Cohosh, Blue Cohoshes, Caulophylle
Caulophyllum is a small genus of perennial herbs belonging to the family Berberidaceae and closely related to the Eurasian genera Leontice and Gymnospermium. It is native to eastern Asia and eastern North America. These plants are distinctive spring wildflowers, which grow in moist, rich woodland, it is known for its large triple-compound leaf, and large blue, berry-like fruits. Unlike many spring wildflowers, it is not an ephemeral plant and persists throughout much of the summer. Common names for plants in this genus include blue cohosh, squaw root, and papoose root. As hinted at by its common names, this plant is well known as an alternative medicine for inducing childbirth and menstrual flow; it is also considered a poisonous plant.
Caulophyllum species have been used for various (mainly medicinal) purposes from early times. The three species in the genus are generally considered to possess similar properties. This plant is occasionally used in woodland gardens as an ornamental. Children should not be allowed to eat the attractive blue fruits, as these plants contain chemicals that are known to cause cell damage. The powdered roots have been shown to cause dermatitis and irritation of the mucous membranes.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Caulophyllum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
