Latin Name: Actaea spp.
Description: Member of the Buttercup family. Grows to about 60 cm (about 24 in) in height and sometimes cultivated in shady gardens as perennials. Small, feathery, white flowers bloom in the spring; the berries, which ripen in autumn, are white in A. alba, which is sometimes called doll's-eyes; red in A. rubra; and black in A. spicata, a species imported from Europe. The berries in all species are conspicuous and poisonous. They contain an essential oil that produces severe gastroenteritis if eaten.
Poisonous Parts: Foliage, roots, especially berries. Toxin involved is protoanemonin which affects the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea.
Treatment: Contact your veterinarian.