Hi Marg,

I have 3 black cohosh plants (cimicifuga racemosa) in a semi-shaded garden, for about 4 seasons now. I find they do not spread quickly at all, but the plants do get rather large, both tall and wide. The foliage gets to about 2 1/2 - 3 feet tall and almost as wide but the flower stalks can be as much as 6 feet tall, so definitely something for the back of the border. I have read that the flowers smell really bad but I don't have a very good sense of smell. The plants are right by my front door and no one has complained, so I'm leaving them there!

Thanks, good to know. Maybe I'll find something else instead. If it does smell bad I have enough other fragrant flowers in the garden I won't even notice! Right now it's planted in front of a split rail fence. Is yours planted in full sun or part shade? I've heard these get more black color in full sun. Marg

Mine are in part shade. They get about 2-3 hours of direct sun a day and are almost completely shaded the rest of the day (its an awkward spot). The flower stalks tend to stretch toward the sun, so they'd probably be happier with a bit more sun. Mine are not black at all, so maybe its not the same variety.

I have a cimifuga but not the black one. It is tall but doesn't spread. I was very surprised that it had an unpleasant smell. I since moved it to another out of the way location but may get rid of it entirely because of the odor.

Ianna

I've heard it smells like pee, is that what it smells like?Do you think something like 4 o'clocks may mask the smell? It has such lovely foliage I would hate to have it smell bad. I wonder if removing the flowers would help or is the smell in the foliage to? Marg

well to me it smelt of cat pee. You could try and see if 4 oclocks can mask the odor. I would suggest adding other fragrant plants to bury the odoor even more.

Cimicifuga 'Black Negligee' smells like a tropical fruit smoothie. A yummy, delicious, wish you could bottle and drink it smell that pervades the late garden.
Cimicifuga racemosa smells like a combination of urine and body odour - potent and fairly nasty.
Grow in rich, moist soil. Deep shade will reduce its height, width and flowering. It is not as rambunctious as any of the white flowered species I grow, and in my gardens, spreads only to about 3'.

Thanks Ninamarie. Right now mine is planted in full sun in the morning but gets more shade later in the afternoon. I was going to move it to my dappled shade (it would be under pines) hosta garden behind June hosta. It might get looked after better there. Maybe mulching it would help to. Thanks. Marg