chocolate spider plant Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' (White Snakeroot) Unity Grown – Unity Church Hill Nursery, LLC

'Chocolate' is a showy dark-leaved cultivar of Eupatorium rugosum, also referred to as Ageratina altissima, a native wildflower found in woodland areas, thickets, and rocky areas throughout the Eastern US. The 'Chocolate cultivar can be used in naturalized gardens, woodlands, and other locations with full sun just like other snakeroots, but differs via its size, growing slightly smaller to only 2-4' tall, and its foliage, which is dark, chocolatey-hued in spring before maturing to a rich purple. 'Chocolate' white snakeroot produces clusters of small, fluffy, bright white flowers from late summer into mid-fall. 

While snakeroot's showy white flowers have a lot of ornamental value, especially in contrast with this cultivar's dark foliage, they have even more ecological value, providing food for a variety of pollinators and other insect hosts. Snakeroot prefers medium to wet soils, though the 'Chocolate' cultivar is slightly more tolerant of dry conditions and grows best when provided with some organic nutrient content.

Note: Snakeroot is toxic and can be fatal if eaten by animals or humans, so care should be taken to limit this plant's exposure to range animals, pets, and children.