Its plant is 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) tall. Its dark green, umbrella-like leaves, nearly 30 cm across, have five to seven lobes. The cup-shaped flower, with six to nine white petals, is 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) across and appears from April to June. The fruit is an edible yellow berry that is sometimes used in jams or beverages; the unripened fruit is toxic. The dried rhizomes (fleshy underground stems) are used medicinally; they contain anticancer compounds and are the source for a treatment of genital warts. The plant is a coarse but attractive specimen for the shady wild garden.