Black cohosh, or Actaea racemosa, is a tall perennial herb in the Ranunculaceae family native to eastern North America. It produces divided leaves, upright stems, and long white flower spikes above a dark, knotty rhizome. The rhizome and root are the parts most often used in traditional herbal practice and are commonly prepared as tinctures or decoctions.
In North American herbal traditions, black cohosh has long been associated with women’s health, especially menstrual and menopausal support. It also appears in older Eclectic and Indigenous records in relation to muscular tension and broader constitutional formulas.
Because black cohosh is a woodland plant that is slow to establish, cultivated material is generally preferred over unsustainably harvested wild root. Responsible sourcing is an important part of modern herbal use with this plant.
