Species PlantsWhite Baneberry

White Baneberry

Actaea pachypoda

CommonPlant
Illustration of White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)
Safety note: All plant parts and especially the berries are highly toxic. Called 'doll's eyes' — do not eat.

White Baneberry produces the most striking fruits of any North American woodland wildflower — waxy white berries each with a prominent black dot, sitting on swollen red stalks, creating an uncanny resemblance to doll's eyes. Found in rich deciduous forests across eastern North America, the plant grows 1–2 feet tall. The berries are highly toxic to humans but eaten by birds that are unaffected. It produces flat-topped clusters of small white flowers in spring.

Habitat
Found in rich, moist deciduous forests and wooded slopes across eastern North America.
Diet
Toxic to humans but berries consumed by robins, thrushes, and other birds; seeds dispersed by frugivores.
How common
Common

Best time to see a White Baneberry

The best time to see a White Baneberry is July–September, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 21,704 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a White Baneberry? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent White Baneberry sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a White Baneberry? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.

Get Huck

Get an alert when a White Baneberry is spotted

Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

Love plants? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

More plants

White Beakrush
White Beakrush
Rhynchospora alba
White Clover
White Clover
Trifolium repens
White Crownbeard
White Crownbeard
Verbesina virginica
White Fawn Lily
White Fawn Lily
Erythronium oregonum
White Fir
White Fir
Abies concolor
White Grass
White Grass
Leersia virginica
White Heath Aster
White Heath Aster
Symphyotrichum ericoides
White Meadowsweet
White Meadowsweet
Spiraea alba