Family: rose family (Rosaceae)
Flowering time: May–June
Height: 80–200 cm
Habitat: forests, forest edges, clearings, among shrubs and along forest roads
Common goat's-beard (Aruncus dioicus) is a perennial that every spring sends up a sturdy, woody rootstock a vertical stem. It is leafy with very large, two- to three-pinnate leaves. The margins of the leaflets are sharply serrated. It is a dioecious plant, which means that on one plant typically only female flowers develop, on the other plant only male flowers. Numerous tiny flowers form a branched inflorescence at the top of the stem. The inflorescence, up to 0,5 m long, is usually at least somewhat pendant. The stamens give the flowers of the male plants a fluffy appearance, while female plants even in full bloom look as if they have already withered. It is a common forest plant that can be found throughout Slovenia.
