White Baneberry

Actaea pachypoda

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source: White berries consumed by Wild Turkey (6.3% occurrence in diet studies), as well as Ruffed Grouse, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, and American Robin. White-Footed Mouse also eats berries. Fruits persist on thickened red pedicels into early fall, providing a late-season food resource, though overall wildlife value is low.
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Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in both Canada (N5) and the US (N5). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Ranked S5 in Ontario and S4 in Quebec, reflecting slightly lower abundance in the province but no conservation concern.
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Rarity Ranks: QC S4 – Apparently Secure, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Indicator of high-quality, undisturbed rich deciduous forest. Typical of sugar maple-beech-basswood associations on mesic, humus-rich soils. Found in ravines, thinly wooded bluffs, and mature northern hardwoods, often growing alongside Actaea rubra, Trillium grandiflorum, and Caulophyllum thalictroides.
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Roles: Fortress/Barrier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)]
Notes: Classic understory forb of the sugar maple guild. Thrives beneath Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia in humus-rich shade. Pairs naturally with Trillium grandiflorum and Viola pubescens in the herbaceous layer. Its toxic foliage provides a natural deterrent barrier around more palatable companions.
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Category: Analgesic, Anticonvulsive, Antirheumatic, Cold Remedy, Cough Medicine, Dermatological Aid, Emmenagogue, Galactogogue, Gynecological Aid, Pediatric Aid, Stimulant, Throat Aid, Urinary Aid
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Notes: Extensively used in Indigenous medicine. Blackfoot used root decoction for colds and coughs. Cherokee applied root infusion for itch and as a gargle for sore throats. Meskwaki used root decoction for childbirth pain and as a stimulant for patients near death. Chippewa administered root decoction for convulsions in children and adults. Iroquois used root decoction for urinary complaints. Use with caution due to toxicity.
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❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: Not edible. All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially berries and roots. PFAF rates edibility 0/5. The berries contain protoanemonin and an unidentified glycoside that cause severe gastrointestinal inflammation.
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