Black Cohosh

overall appearance

Tall perennial herb growing 3-8 feet tall with large, compound leaves and distinctive tall spikes of white, feathery flowers.

roots

Thick, dark, knotted rhizomes with fibrous roots; rhizomes are blackish-brown externally, whitish internally, with a bitter taste and unpleasant odor.

stem

Smooth, tall stems that are green to purplish, rising directly from the rhizome; stems can reach 6-8 feet in height during flowering.

leaves

Large, alternate, twice or thrice pinnately compound leaves with serrated leaflets; leaflets are 1-3 inches long and dark green with prominent veining.

flowers

Small, white flowers lacking petals but with numerous conspicuous stamens, arranged in tall, dense, bottlebrush-like racemes that can be 1-3 feet long.

fruits/seeds

Small, dry, pod-like follicles containing several small, flattened seeds; seeds have a scale-like appendage and are dispersed in late summer.

1-2 teaspoons dried rhizome per cup water, simmer 15-20 minutes

1:5 ratio in 60% alcohol, 1-2 ml twice daily

20-40mg daily of extract standardized to triterpenes

1/2 teaspoon powdered root per cup hot water, steep 15 minutes

40-80mg standardized extract daily