10/16/2026
How about Doll's Eyes (White Baneberry) for a spooky looking plant for October!
This member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) earned its memorable common name from its extraordinary fruit — bright white berries adorned with a single black dot that creates an uncanny resemblance to the porcelain eyes of old-fashioned dolls. Growing 1 to 3 feet tall in the dappled light of mature forests, Doll’s Eyes is both beautiful and mysterious. In late spring, it produces delicate clusters of small white flowers that give way to its famous berries by late summer. The plant’s compound leaves create an elegant backdrop for both the subtle blooms and the dramatic fruit display. Despite its striking appearance, every part of this plant contains potent toxins that have historically made it both feared and respected by Indigenous peoples and early settlers. (www.plantnative.org)
