Culver's Root Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

(Culver's-physic, Black Root). An easy to spot plant, it grows up to seven feet in height with bright white flower spikes consisting of many small tubular shaped 4-part flowers that have two protruding stamens. All but the most immature plants will have several smaller flower spikes rising from the stem below the central spike. Leaves are in whorls of 3 to 7. The plant will usually be found in groups. The plant can make an excellent back border specimen in the home garden. A single stem plant will by the third year provide a clump of 8 to 12 stems. It tolerates moist soil and the flower stems are good for cutting. Besides the native white color, there are several cultivars available in the nursery trade that have other colored flowers. The common name refers to Dr. Culver. (See lore below.) The root is toxic. The scientific name is derived as follows: "Veronicastrum" - after St. Veronica; "virginicum" - of Virginia. It was formerly classified by Nutthall as Leptandra virginica and prior to that it was placed by Linnaeus in the genus Veronica which is not the same as Veronicastrum.

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