White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima 'Chocolate')

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Mesic Mesic Dry Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9b
Plant Height:	3 to 5 feet (.9-1.5m)
Plant Spread:	2 to 3 feet (61-91cm)
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color
Fruit:	Showy
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	White
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall
Underground structures:	Rhizome
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Propagation: Seeds:	Will not come true from seed
Awards and Recognitions:	Other: 2004 Great Plant Picks Award Winner

Common names

White Snakeroot

Botanical names

Accepted: Ageratina altissima
Synonym: Eupatorium rugosum

Photo Gallery

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Date: 2022-09-28
Ageratina, Chocolate - Snakeroot Collage

Uploaded by dnrevel

Location: Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-04-10
Zone 9b.

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Location: Plymouth Nursery, Plymouth, MI
Date: 2009-10-08

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2022-10-04

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Maryland
Date: 2014-09-20
Variegated Fritillary enjoys the blossoms.

Uploaded by Catmint20906

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: Maryland
Date: 2014-08-23
Blooms just opening for the season.

Uploaded by Catmint20906

Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-09-30
New this year

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2014-05-15

Uploaded by Bonehead

Uploaded by molanic

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Location: Eckert's Greenhouse, Sterling Hts, MI
Date: 2013-10-03

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by Catmint20906

Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-06-14

Uploaded by nativeplantlover

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: z6a MA, my garden
Date: 2013-07-22

Uploaded by eclayne

Photo Courtesy of Secret Garden Growers.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Bordine's Greenhouse, Rochester Hills, MI
Date: 2016-09-26

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2009-11-22
Fall color

Uploaded by Bonehead

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Catmint20906

Uploaded by admin

Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-10-07

Uploaded by eclayne

Uploaded by admin

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Barson's Greenlouse, Westland, MI
Date: 2016-09-26

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by SunnyBorders

Uploaded by robertduval14

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Jun 3, 2013 6:41 PM concerning plant:

I purchased this plant some years ago because of the name Chocolate . The leaves do have an interesting color in the spring but I don't feel the flowers are worth the space the plant takes up in the flower garden. It seems to be a long lived perennial 8+ in my garden
The flowers are very attractive to insects and bloom late when there is less in the garden to feed on.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Feb 24, 2018 10:12 AM concerning plant:

Tidy plant with pretty brownish leaves and red stems. A good accent plant. A decoction of roots was used for snakebites. Some sources report that it can spread aggressively through rhizomes or reseeding and, but I have not found that to be a problem in the Pacific NW.

Reply to this comment
Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on May 11, 2014 3:59 PM concerning plant:

Throughout late spring and summer I consider 'Chocolate' a good mid to back garden foliage plant. It has a nice rounded habit with new leaves emerging purple brown (matching the stems) and eventually turning green. When most of the garden is shutting down in early fall the dense mass of small white flowers brings a smile on. Bees love it and so do I. It's done well in dappled shade with no special attention.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 22, 2014 1:04 PM concerning plant:

Ageratina 'Chocolate' is a pollinator magnet. It is a nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies and is a Monarch Way Station plant.

This plant is also a nectar source for bees, and supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden. Beneficial insects feed on a variety of common garden pests.

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Plant Events from our members
Catmint20906	On September 13, 2015	Bloomed
Catmint20906	On August 20, 2014	Bloomed
christine2	On May 5, 2017	Transplanted North House moved to Pool
lovesblooms	On March 1, 2020	Seeds sown winter sow
lovesblooms	On February 24, 2018	Seeds sown winter sown
antsinmypants	On May 15, 2022	Obtained plant 2 plants. Transplanted in Shade garden near the firepit.
dnrevel	On October 1, 2022	Transplanted Received plant from a friend (Joyce). Transplanted and needed plenty of water to help it settle in. Once it was watered well, it handled the heat just fine. So far is growing well in the border. Does not seem aggressive. Attractive flowers when not much else is blooming.
dnrevel	On September 26, 2022	Bloomed Lovely white blooms

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Ageratina White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima 'Chocolate')

Ageratina
White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima 'Chocolate')