North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx.

blue cohosh, common blue cohosh, green vivian

Caulophyllum thalictroides (Blue Cohosh)

Image ID: 8837
Image by: Ware, Richard & Teresa
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: CATH2
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Caulophyllum thalictroides
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-02-05

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: CAULO
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Caulophyllum
GENUS AUTHORITY: Michx.
GENUS COMMON: Cohosh
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of 3 species, herbs, with a relictual north temperate distribution (e. North America, e. Asia). The only other species of the genus is C. robustum Maximowicz, of e. Asia.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Loconte in FNA (1997); Stearn (2002)=Y; Loconte & Blackwell (1981, 1984, 1985)=Z; Uttal (1985); Brett (1981); Loconte in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: BERBER
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Berberidaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Barberry Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: As broadly defined here, a family of about 15 genera and 650 species, herbs and shrubs, of the temperate Northern Hemisphere and Andean South America. There has been much debate and study of whether the Berberidaceae should be recognized as a broadly defined unit, or split into a variety of segregate families (such as Podophyllaceae, Epimediaceae, Nandinaceae, Leonticaceae). Based on molecular studies, Kim & Jansen (1996, 1998) and Kim et al. (2004) conclude that division of the Berberidaceae into segregate families is not warranted.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Whetstone, Atkinson, & Spaulding in FNA (1997); Wang et al. (2009); Stearn (2002); Kim & Jansen (1996, 1998); Ahrendt (1961); Loconte & Estes (1989b); Kim et al. (2004); Meacham (1980); Loconte in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Erect perennial of rich, deciduous forests.
STEMS: Stem smooth with a blue-green tint and white-waxy coating.
LEAVES: Leaves 1 (2), petiolate, divided into many stalked, veiny, oval leaflets that are 1-3 in. long and irregularly toothed/lobed; blue-green and with a waxy coating.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers in a branched terminal cluster, brownish-green to yellowish-green, ¼ in. wide, consisting of 6 sepals with nectar glands at the base (no real petals), 6 stamens, and a prominent ovary.
FRUITS: Fruit a conspicuous pair of deep blue, fleshy seeds.
COMMENTS: The very similar Caulophyllum giganteum blooms a little earlier and has larger (1/2 in. across), more purplish flowers.
HEIGHT: 1-3 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: Apr-May

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR:

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
				x	x			x		x

FRUITING PERIOD: Jul-Aug.

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern North America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text:

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
169	2008-0345	2019-07-02	170	View
2610	1987-0051			View
3005	1988-0078			View
3090	1989-0044			View
3417	1991-0048			View
7550	2000-0313	2000-09-27		View
7958	2003-0010	2003-08-02		View
9631	2023-0083	2023-05-01	0	View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
170	HORT	2004-07-21	Heiney	View
1056	HORT	2005-08-03	Lewandowski	View
1296	HORT	2006-08-11	Bryan	View
1559	HORT	2006-08-30	Bryan	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
337	169	79	Liloia	2008-04-25	View
338	169	75	Liloia	2008-04-25	View
339	169	187	Liloia	2008-04-25	View
4395	2610	81	NCBG staff	1986-11-22	View
4953	3005	81	NCBG staff	1988-10-01	View
4954	3005	81	NCBG staff	1988-10-01	View
4955	3005	83	NCBG staff	1988-10-01	View
5131	3090	74	NCBG staff	1988-04-01	View
5132	3090	75	NCBG staff	1988-04-01	View
5660	3417	11	NCBG staff	1990-09-13	View
10605	7550	81	NCBG staff	1997-01-01	View
10606	7550	89	NCBG staff	1997-01-01	View
11201	7958	81	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
13597	9631	75	Liloia	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: CATH2
USDA Common Name: Blue Cohosh
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (MB, NB, NS, ON, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Caulophyllum thalictroides
COMMON NAME: Common Blue Cohosh, Green Vivian
SYNONYMY: [= FNA, Il, K, Va, W, Y, Z; < C. thalictroides - F, G, Pa, RAB, S; = C. thalictroides var. thalictroides - C]
PHENOLOGY: Apr-May; Jul-Aug.
HABITAT: Rich forests.
COMMENTS: NS, QC, ON, and MB, south to GA, AL, AR, and OK.
RANGE MAP: Caulophyllum thalictroides.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Berberidaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Barberry Family)
SUMMARY: As broadly defined here, a family of about 15 genera and 650 species, herbs and shrubs, of the temperate Northern Hemisphere and Andean South America. There has been much debate and study of whether the Berberidaceae should be recognized as a broadly defined unit, or split into a variety of segregate families (such as Podophyllaceae, Epimediaceae, Nandinaceae, Leonticaceae). Based on molecular studies, Kim & Jansen (1996, 1998) and Kim et al. (2004) conclude that division of the Berberidaceae into segregate families is not warranted.
REFERENCE: Whetstone, Atkinson, & Spaulding in FNA (1997); Wang et al. (2009); Stearn (2002); Kim & Jansen (1996, 1998); Ahrendt (1961); Loconte & Estes (1989b); Kim et al. (2004); Meacham (1980); Loconte in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Caulophyllum Michx. (Cohosh)
SUMMARY: A genus of 3 species, herbs, with a relictual north temperate distribution (e. North America, e. Asia). The only other species of the genus is C. robustum Maximowicz, of e. Asia.
REFERENCE: Loconte in FNA (1997); Stearn (2002)=Y; Loconte & Blackwell (1981, 1984, 1985)=Z; Uttal (1985); Brett (1981); Loconte in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Caulophyllum thalictroides in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Caulophyllum thalictroides in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Caulophyllum thalictroides in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Caulophyllum thalictroides in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Caulophyllum thalictroides in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Caulophyllum thalictroides

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 8837 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 8837 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 8837 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)