Species Giant Blue Cohosh

Giant Blue Cohosh

Caulophyllum giganteum (Farwell) Loconte & W.H. Blackwell

Giant Blue Cohosh is an evergreen perennial herb native to Quebec, New England, and the Appalachian Mountains. Its large blue-green leaves resemble those of other members of the Barberry family. The fragrant white flowers are bell-shaped and 6-8 cm long. The plant's clusters of blue berries are held in the leaf axils and ripen in late summer. Giant Blue Cohosh was traditionally used by Native Americans for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Folklore associates it with fertility: the plant may be used to induce labor and ease childbirth. It is still widely used in many parts of the world today as an aid to women's fertility and to regulate menstrual cycles.

Watering:

Frequent

Hardiness Zone:

Flowers:

Yellow Flowers

Sun:

Sun

Fruits:

green,brown,black Fruits Ready In Summer

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,purple

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Brook Grass (Catabrosa aquatica) should be watered deeply and infrequently, once a week or less. It needs approximately 1-2 inches of water per week, depending on temperatures. During hot summer months, water more often. Make sure the soil is kept evenly moist but not saturated, as too much water can lead to root rot. During the winter months, reduce watering to once a month or less, depending on temperatures. Avoid excessive fertilizer, as this can cause the leaves to turn yellow.

sunlight

Brook Grass (Catabrosa aquatica) needs full sun to partial shade conditions to thrive. It prefers 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. To enhance the growth and flowering of this plant species, morning sunlight is recommended over late afternoon sunlight. This plant should not be exposed to too much afternoon heat as the leaves are likely to burn.

pruning

Brook Grass (Catabrosa aquatica) should be pruned once a year, in the late winter or early spring as the plant begins to regrow. To prune this plant species, give the grass a light trim, removing no more than 1-third of the total growth. This should be done prior to the plant sending up new spring growth, to ensure it isn't damaged. Pruning also promotes new, healthy growth of brook grass. Make this pruning shallow, meaning remove only the top growth and slightly into where the old growth was. This will help create a more aesthetically pleasing grass. Be sure to avoid pruning too deeply, as this could damage the grass and cause it to die.

Propagation