The silver candle takes a while to get used to, but then it shines with beautiful, candle-shaped flowers.
The silver candle (Cimicifuga) is a distinctive perennial that catches the eye with its elongated flower heads. The striking and multi-faceted flower is not only an eye-catcher, because the flowers also spread a pleasant, sweet scent. The silver candle is just as suitable for upgrading green spaces as it is for accentuating hedge plants or as an eye-catcher in a bucket.
Silver Candle - Origin
The vernacular also knows names such as lady's root or bugweed for the silver candle. Around 30 species of the buttercup family are found in temperate climates worldwide.
Two species are widespread in our latitudes - the black cohosh, which originates from North America, and the October black cohosh, whose natural range is in Japan.
Plant black cohosh
Find the right location
The silver candle feels most comfortable in partial shade. In a sunny location, the perennial needs to be watered intensively. If you want to enjoy the abundance of flowers, you should avoid planting the silver candle in the shade.
In the wild, the silver cohosh often grows at the edges of forests and therefore also feels at home in the light shade of trees, bushes and hedges in the home garden.
The chosen location can be a bit cooler. The silver candle prefers a sheltered location.
Selecting the ideal substrate
A moist and nutrient-rich soil must be found for the silver candle. It is important that the substrate is permeable and that moisture does not accumulate in the soil. If these soil conditions are given, the silver candle can also be planted at the edge of the garden pond.
It is important that the soil is moist, cool and humus-rich. The silver candle feels most comfortable in a neutral substrate (pH value 6.5 to 7.5)
» Tip: If the silver candle does not grow as desired and there are no flowers, the soil is too dry.
Plant silver cohosh - step by stepStep
Silvercandle should be planted in spring as the perennials need some time to take root.
Proceed as follows for planting:
- Select Location
- Clean Floor
- Upgrade the floor if necessary
- Dig planting hole
- Put the silver candle in the middle of the planting hole
- Fill substrate
- Close planting hole
- Press the earth well
- Water the silver cohosh sufficiently
The group planting is particularly pretty. You can use three to ten plants. Approximately one meter planting distance must be observed. In the foreground of yew, hydrangea, fir or privet, the colored flower candles can be impressively staged.
Pouring silver candle correctly
We water regularly. Waterlogging should be avoided. The irrigation water should only be distributed directly on the root area. Leaves and flowers are not watered. Wet foliage favors fungal diseases and weakens the plant.
» Tip: To avoid burning leaves and leaves, watering should only be done in the morning and evening hours on hot summer days.
Fertilize black cohosh properly
When fertilizing, it is important to keep the moisture in the soil as much as possible and not to dry it out. This is best achieved with natural fertilizers such as compost, grass clippings or leaves. If the natural material is mixed into the substrate before flowering in early spring, the silver candle is supplied with all the nutrients it needs for the coming garden year. At the same time, reliable weed protection is provided.
» Tip: If you cannot provide natural fertilizer, you have to use commercially available liquid fertilizer. It is important to only fertilize when the soil has already been sufficiently watered.
An overview of the most important planting and care tips
| Occupation | What matters? |
| Select Location | partial shade protected |
| Prepare the ground | moist nutritious permeable cool humus |
| Plant black cohosh | Group planting is advantageous Keep planting distance (one meter) Water well |
| Pour silver candle | regularly avoid waterlogging do not water on leaves and flowers |
| Fertilize black cohosh | Natural fertilizers in spring (compost, leaves) |
Pretty varieties presented
The silver candle is offered in different varieties. There are varieties on the market that are offered with the old botanical name "Cimicifuga" as well as with the name "Actaea", which has been common since the late 1990s.
Black cohosh - blooms from June to September, intense fragrance
Small Japanese black cohosh - grows bushy, only 70 centimeters high
Purple black cohosh - blooms from September to October, reddish leaf colour
Lance silver candle - flowering from August
Candelabra silver candle - flowering from August to September, heavily branched
Cutting Silver Candle
Withered flowers and leaves are removed throughout the year. This promotes growth and stimulates flowering. The root area should always be kept weed-free. If the silver candle has faded in autumn, the perennials are cut back close to the ground.
Propagate Silver Cohosh
The silver candle can be multiplied simply by division. However, this is only possible with older plants. From about the fourth year, the silver candle has formed enough roots to give off rhizome cuttings. To do this, the root ball is dug up and divided with a spade or a sharp knife.
The individual root sections are put back into the ground immediately after division and develop into full-fledged plants as they sprout, which can be cultivated as described.
» Tip: Propagation is also possible by sowing. Since it is a cold germ, sowing should follow immediately after seed ripening.
Detect diseases and pests
The silver candle does not have any typical diseases or damage symptoms. However, care errors can weaken the plant to such an extent that it is susceptible to root rot or fungal infestation. The biggest enemy is persistent waterlogging.
Wintering Silver Cohosh
Winter protection is not necessary because the silver candle can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees. Soil moisture should be checked on frost-free days. Occasional watering is advisable to ensure that the plants do not dry out in winter.