Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald

Goatsbeard

Rhizomatous perennial to 2 m or so tall. Leaves bipinnate with 3 leaflets, each further divided, the margins double-toothed. Flowers in slightly unpleasant-smelling plumes to 0.5 m long, the individual flowers about 5 mm wide; summer. Carpels mostly 3. Syn. a. sylvester Kostel.

Occasionally naturalised in the NSW S Tablelands. A. aethusifolius (Lév.) Nakai from Korea is sometimes listed.

Eurasia, N America.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Rosaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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Distribution map

Aruncus dioicus 'Glasnevin'

A listed cultivar, description unlocated.

Aruncus dioicus 'Kneiffii'

A dwarf with the foliage finely dissected into thread-like ferny segments; flowers cream.

Aruncus dioicus 'Zweiweltenkind'

To 1.2 m tall, with feathery leaves and white flowers. Originated by Foerster in 1960. ['Child of Two Worlds']

kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Rosales
family       Rosaceae
genus        Aruncus L.