Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Atropurpurea’
Otherwise known as Septemberkerze (September Candle) in Germany
This one actually started flowering a few days before September this year. It smells wonderful! A bit like candyfloss!
There are many different Cimicifuga. Some with dark purplish-brown leaves (like this one), some green, some flower much earlier, some later, some grow to just a metre or so, some to almost 2 metres. Most smell divine, but some have only a faint fragrance, and I have smelt one at a plant fair that was quite unpleasant!
This one is about 1.5 metres high, and does not spread at all. It is at home in the coolest part of the garden… I’m still surprised every time I see the chocolatey buds forming, as it would really like a shadier position, but it was one of the few plants which came with me from my last garden and it got the best I could offer! The pinkish flowers contrast beautifully with the purple buds and leaves… but sadly the leaves tend to scorch easily. (Hence no photo!)
The tiny flowers remind me of Thalictrum...
Words and Herbs 
It is very pretty. Is it a native plant?
My garden is looking better now that the weather is cooler here,especially the geraniums.
This one is from North America! But there are others from Northern Europe or Asia too. My garden has also started recovering from the heat! Even my geraniums suffered, but I’ll try to take a few cuttings soon.
The tiny blossoms are so delicate and lovely. I can imagine a stand of these moving to the music of the wind…. so gracefully.
Yes, that sounds lovely Merrill. They are rather elegant.
how lovely! I love the touch of purple in this x
That’s what I like too… much prettier than the green-leafed variety where the buds are plain white/cream.
I haven´t seen this plant before. Looks lovely … and with fragrance :).
That’s the reason I first bought one… it really smells good enough to eat! 😀
or to have a bath?
Yes! LOL!
Such a lovely flower! I like its tiny blossoms – look fairy-like.
Here a little nature poem:
Im Nebel ruhet noch die Welt,
noch träumen Wald und Wiesen:
Bald siehst du, wenn der Schleier fällt
den blauen Himmel unverstellt,
herbstkräftig die gedämpfte Welt
in warmem Golde fließen.
Eduard Mörike
That’s a lovely poem! Thank you Elisabeth!
I love this poem very much. By the way, it´s titled “Septembermorgen”.
I love this plant and was hoping to see these as were the butterflies but the drought has kept them from growing or flowering…I love the name September Candle
That’s a shame. Hopefully next year will not be so dry.I was surprised mine made it through our hot summer. It occasionally does not flower if too dry.
Cathy, this is very pretty. I never tried it probably because common names in the U.S. for this are very off-putting: Bugbane and Snakeroot! The German “September Candle” though is much more enticing.
Oh dear! Bugbane is not a very attractive name! Strange how some plants are given such terrible names! The earlier flowering ones are called “July- September Candles” in German, and then there are the “October Candles” too! 😀
Anything that smells like popcorn must be a winner! So pretty too x
The scent is a real bonus! 😀
I had a pair of these in my hands at the garden center last fall, and I’m kicking myself for putting them back! Fragrant plants are my fisrt, best loves…and there’s a perfect shady patch by the pond for them!
Next time, they’ll come home with me, for sure!
Oh yes, a definite must for the next trip. I was hoping to find another one this autumn, but either they all sold out immediately, or they weren’t in fashion this year!
What a pretty flower. I had loads of something candles (sorry, I don´t know the name) with yellow flowers in the garden. They spread like weed and grew everywhere. Although they were quite impressive it was a bit annoying. 😉
Königskerzen! LOL! They are Verbascum thapsis, and I had loads in my rockery when I first cleared it of ivy! I let a few stand to fill in the gaps before planting, but regretted it – they have huge roots and seed themselves like mad!
Hi Cathy… Very elegant flowers, they would look excellent in a back border.
They certainly would, as they take up little space. 😀
Cathy I have never seen a plant like this NICE very nice.
Thanks Eunice – I think so too!
What a wonderful name for this plant! I love big, architectural blooms!
I agree – the name suits it well, and it really is striking!
Gorgeous!
😀