Astilbe - False Goatsbeard
Astilbe - False Goatsbeard: Stunning variety of colors, long bloom time, great ground cover plant.
| Astilbe | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Late Spring - Late Summer |
| Light | Full Sun - Part Shade |
| Water | Wet Boggy Soil |
| Diseases | Powdery Mildew, Leaf Spot |
| Pests | Relatively Pest Free |
| Propagation | Divisions, Cuttings |
| Color | White, Pink, Red, Purple |
| Zones | 3 - 8 |
| Features | Deer Resistant, Cut Flowers |
Astilbe 'Amethyst' is an elegant introduction with the brightest red flowers of any Astilbe. Grows 2 feet tall, forming a mound 18 inches wide. Brilliant spikes, over 12 inches long, blossom over a long period. Attracts hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Can be used in rain gardens and cut arrangements.
Ranging in height from a few inches to 3' or more, Astilbe are topped by feathery-plumed flowers and have very lace-like looking leaves.
They are one of the shade-lovers that should have very moist conditions in your landscape. Also Astilbe prefer cool conditions and will often die out if overheated, os they thrive in the northern third of the United States.
If placed in a full sun situation, make sure you supply adequate supply of moisture, otherwise the leaves will scorch, turn brown and die.
By choosing your varieties carefully, you can have different cultivars that bloom from late spring to late summer.
False Goats Beard need to be propagated every 2 to 4 years to rejuvenate the clump, or you will find that they die out.
In early spring, dig up the clump and divide it into from 4 to 6 divisions, depending of the size of the parent.
Astilbe Sampler: Beautiful, easy to grow perennial that is very hardy and free of plant pests. Plant in a deep moist soil, rich in organic matter in partial shade. Can be grown in full sun if extra moisture is provided.
This sample includes 1 each of red, white and pink astilbe PLUS 1 FREE Lavender Astilbe!
Astilbe's like moist cool spots in the garden with light to filtered shade. Most varieties are well behaved and will not spread beyond their borders, while some of the older varieties do quickly outgrow their spots and should be contained to keep them from spreading throughout the garden.
Available in multi-colored, feathery blooms, the Astilbe looks great when planted together with their pastel colors that are naturally color-coordinated.
They look especially nice when planted together with a shade plant such as the Hosta, as the leaves are very fine, in contrast to the large-leaved Hosta. You can also use the smaller cultivars to form a ground cover around some of the larger Hosta varieties.
Some of taller Astilbe can be used in groups of 3 to 5, while some of the smaller plants are often used as a groundcover because of the leaf textures and colors that
Hosta:
Back the feathery foliage and plumes of astilbe with the bold blue-green leaves of hosta to make them stand out in the shade garden.
Coral Bells:
The low mounds of coral bell foliage team well with astilbe. Their airy flower spikes have a see-through effect, so plant heucher in front of the Astilbe.
Japanese Painted Fern:
The silvery divided fronds of Japanese painted fern look especially good with the glossy green leaves of astilbe. Both appreciate moist shade.
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Astilbe 'Red Sentinel' is an elegant introduction with the brightest red flowers of any Astilbe. Grows 2 feet tall, forming a mound 18 inches wide. Brilliant spikes, over 12 inches long, blossom over a long period. Attracts hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Can be used in rain gardens and cut arrangements.
Dwarf Chinese (Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila') is a low-growing groundcover with glossy green foliage only 6 inches tall. Grape-scented lavender bloom spires reach only one foot tall. Zones 4-8
Fanal (Astilbe 'Fanal') is one of the best red-flowering types. It blooms in mid-summer with dark red flowers on reddish bronze leaves. It grows to 2 feet tall. Zones 4-8
Federsee (Astilbe 'Federsee') bears dense rose-pink blooms on upright stems to 3 feet tall. It has better drought tolerance than most Astilbe. Zones 4-8
Astilbe 'Deutschland' has very early blooming of white that grows about 24 inches tall. Dense, compact clusters of snow-white flowers seem to glow with a light of their own in those shady garden spots. Attracts hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Can be used in rain gardens and cut arrangements.
Ostrich Plume (Astilbe 'Ostrich Plume') offers large, weeping pink flower clusters that bring elegance to the woodland border. The 30- to 36-inch-tall panicles form in late spring to early summer. Zones 4-8
Sprite (Astilbe 'Sprite') won the Perennial Plant of the Year Award in 1994. Its airy light pink flower panicles are highly branched, and appear over glossy green-toothed foliage. Zones 4-8
Superba Chinese (Astilbe chinensis taquetti) is a large plant, growing to 4 feet tall. It bears magenta flowers in mid- to late summer on shiny dark green leaves. Zones 4-8
Astilbe x arendsii 'Rhineland' is the finest true pink. Very densely packed florets on plants about 18 inches tall. Very graceful, yet eye-catching plants. Foliage is a rich, clear, glossy green. Attracts hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Can be used in rain gardens and cut arrangements.
Spacing: Space 18" - 36" apart when planting, depending on the size of the cultivar.
Fertilizer: Do not over-fertilize, since doing so can cause an increase in leaf size rather than flower development. Fertilize weekly with a 150ppm solution.
Spring Clean-up: In early spring trim all the dead prior year's growth off the plants. You will find that this not only gives the plant a neater appearance, it will give more energy to the plant for a good spring start.
From the Nursery: Astilbe's will be available more often than not as small container plants.
At this stage they can be planted at any time from spring to late summer. If you get your hands on some bare root crowns or stems, plant them with the roots facing down in early spring.
