American bugbane or fairy candles, provides flowers for pollinating insects in the fall. It produces tall stalks that are topped by cream colored feathery flower spikes. It flowers about the same time as asters, which makes it a very valuable plant to add interest in the garden as things are generally winding down.

The plant shape resembles Black Cohosh but the leaves are shaped more like a maple. The leaves around the base of the plant form a bush about 1 to 2 feet tall. The flower stalks of American Bugbane grow up from the dense foliage of the plant. The flower stalks grow 3 to 5 feet. Butterflies, flies, bees and other pollinating insects are attracted to bugbane.

Great companions are asters, gold seal, foam flower, blue stemmed goldenrod, early meadow rue, palm sedge , green and gold, woodland phlox, and false solomon's seal. American bugbane is an excellent plant in a bed of mixed ground covers, while early spring plants are in bloom it provides a green back drop and then takes over as a focal point in the late summer.