Description
The plant has a robust black rhizome. Simple angiosperm leaves arranged in a whorled pattern emerge from the base of the plant. Each whorl is decussate (rotated by half the angle between the leaves in the whorl below), with only two or three whorls around the base. Each leaf is sessile (attaching directly to the plant), and about 12 inches (300 mm) in length. The leaves are broad, glabrous (smooth), lanceolate in shape, with entire (smooth) edges. The veins in the leaves branch immediately from the base and run parallel through the leaf, leaving a pleated look. Long, green, coarse, woody spike racemes branch off in decussate patterns from the main trunk, with short pedicels supporting a single flower. The flowers are purple-black, giving the plant its name.
Veratrum nigrum blooms in early summer for several weeks, but goes dormant in intense summer heat. It tends to grow in colonies, and attains a height of about 4 feet (1.2 m). Its racemes branch out to about 24 inches (610 mm) in width. The seed heads are crimson in color. Plants grown from seeds will generally push through the earth and sprout leaves in early spring.
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