Why America Loves Astilbes

The Elegant Plumed Perennials for Shade

American gardeners are in the midst of a passionate love affair with Astilbes. Native to the far east, these beautiful plants and their hybrids have revolutionized the perennial possibilites of moist, shaded American gardens. Astilbes are companions of ferns and impatiens--they're some of the few flowers that make big color in full or partial shade.

The vast majority of the scores of hybrids now available are the work of one man, master hybridizer Georg Arends (Yes, that's why you keep seeing "arendsii" tacked onto hybrid names.) Mr. Arends, working in Ronsdorf, Germany spent decades hybridizing sedums, phlox, campanulas... and his first love, astilbes.

astilbe mix in bloomastilbe mix in bloom

In 1933 alone, Arends introduced 74 different astilbe cultivars, and there have been hundreds since. It took awhile for them to become popular in the US, but these days, they're more popular every year.

These plume-flowered plants have ultra-handsome fern-like foliage, (usually dark glossy green) and stiff stems that always hold the elegant plumes aloft without any staking. Flower arrangers find the flower plumes are just as handsome in a vase as in a garden.

Watch Our All About Astilbe Video

 

Growing Astilbes

From tiny dwarfs to big draping hybrids, astilbes are all quite easy to grow, as long as their ground is not in the blazing sun and does not dry out for long. They must have plenty of moisture, so choose your locations carefully. If the soil is not loamy, add some peat moss or other moisture-retaining material. You'll know after one growing season whether your plants are happy where you've put them. If not, think about moving them to a better spot before they weaken.

Astilbe PEachAstilbe PEach
Great companion plants for <a href="/perennials/astilbe">astilbes</a> are other partial shade plants such as <a href="/perennials/hosta">hostas</a> and the <a href="/perennials/iris/japanese-iris">Japanese Irises</a>, as shown above.
Astilbe Mix in PinkAstilbe Mix in Pink
Grouping <a href="/perennials/astilbe">Astilbe</a> hybrids of various heights and colors creates a dramatic display.

Mulching Astilbes

With these plants, mulching is important, especially if they are planted where they will get some direct sun. Bark chips or any other good moisture-retaining top mulch will be very helpful in maintaining the constantly-moist ground they prefer.

Fertilizing Astilbes

They need no more than the usual feeding, like most flowering perennials. For feeding perennial gardens, my favorite perennial expert, Frederick McGourty, recommends familiarizing yourself with standard perennial flower fertilizers, which are always labeled with three numbers in a sequence, such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10, or 10-10-10. These numbers on the bag refer to percentages of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, in that order. McGourty explains that the most important element here for flowering plants is the middle number, Phosphorus, so he recommends choosing a fertilizer with the middle number no lower than the other two.

Pink Astilbe in BloomPink Astilbe in Bloom
<a href="/perennials/astilbe">Astilbe</a> bloom in early to mid summer perfectly coincides with many other perennials, such as yellow Garden Loosestrife, shown in background above.

If your garden is new, try to rake in your fertilizer a week or two before planting. And in later years, one feeding in spring (remove the mulch, and rake it in) should do. If you use dry granular fertilizer, remember to scatter it when the soil is wet and the foliage of your plants is dry. Dry fertilizer sticking to stems and leaves can burn the plants.

If you're new to the neighborhood, it's always good to give your local county extension agent a call, and discuss soils and feeding with him or her. That's what they're there for. It's great local advice, and it's free. You'll find the number in the phone book under US Government, Cooperative Extension Services.

Dividing Astilbes

In the right locations, astilbes grow vigorously. In fact, after a year or two, you'll have big clumps you'll want to divide. And that's easy too. The best time is just after flowering. Water deeply, and then just dig up the clumps and pull the roots into pieces. Try to keep the pieces large, so each one will quickly become a full size plant. Of course, get them back into the ground as soon as possible.

Garden Design with Astilbes

One of the beauties of this perennial group is that you can use them in either informal ways for casual fountains of color as you see in the big photo at the top of this page, or you can also use them in a more formal way. I once divided about 5 big clumps into about 30 plants, and planted 15 on each side of a short pathway. The next spring, the path was elegantly lined with perfectly matching plants, all with identical plumes in height and color. After bloom, the walk was edged with neat handsome hedges of their foliage. Garden designers also know that many astilbes put on a second show with changes in fall foliage color, too.

Astilbe Mix with DayliliesAstilbe Mix with Daylilies
This <a href="/perennials/astilbe">Astilbe</a> garden shows off various heights and colors, plus the plants' perfect compatibility with <a href="/perennials/daylily">daylilies</a>.

Companion Plants

Great companion plants include Japanese and Siberian iris, trilliums, ferns, hostas, cimicifuga, ligularia and of course, annual impatiens.

Wintering Astilbes

Fortunately, most all astilbes are dependably winter hardy. I've grown them in Zone 3, and never lost one. Normally, they need no special protection.

  1. Red Astilbe japonica Montgomery, Astilbe, False Spirea

    ‚Montgomery‚ Astilbe produces feathery, magenta-crimson blooms that stand tall over its deep green foliage. A standout addition to the shade garden, ‚Montgomery&sbq...

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    Montgomery Astilbe False Spirea Montgomery Astilbe japonica Montgomery
    $17.32 Sale $13.86
    Per Bag of 3
    'Montgomery' Astilbe produces feathery, magenta-crimson blooms that stand tall over its deep green foliage. A standout addition to the shade garden, 'Montgomery' delivers loads of color and is a perfect choice for mass plantings. Leaves emerge bronze-red in spring and turn green over the course of the season. Prefers moist soil. (Astilbe japonica)
  2. White Astilbe japonica Deutschland, Astilbe japonica, False Spirea, Photo Credit Walters Gardens Inc

    ‚Deutschland‚ Astilbe‚s pure white plumes are lovely in the moonlight and can brighten the shade garden with grace. Soft and feathery flowerheads play beautifully a...

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    Deutschland Astilbe Deutschland False Spirea Astilbe japonica Deutschland
    $17.32 Sale $13.86
    Per Bag of 3
    'Deutschland' Astilbe's pure white plumes are lovely in the moonlight and can brighten the shade garden with grace. Soft and feathery flowerheads play beautifully against the glossy green, mounding foliage. Very showy and very easy to care for, like most astilbes, this one is resistant to both deer and rabbits. Try pairing with any fern for a gorgeous, contrasting look. (Astilbe japonica)
  3. Pink Astilbe Rheinland, Astilbe japonica

    A must-have for any shade garden, ‚Rheinland‚ Astilbe adds gorgeous, bright pink color and a graceful, feathery texture to the early summer garden. Sweetly fragrant and d...

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    Rheinland Astilbe Japanese Astilbe Rheinland Astilbe japonica Rheinland
    $17.32 Sale $13.86
    Per Bag of 3
    A must-have for any shade garden, 'Rheinland' Astilbe adds gorgeous, bright pink color and a graceful, feathery texture to the early summer garden. Sweetly fragrant and deer resistant, 'Rheinland' prefers full to part shade and moist soils. (Astilbe japonica)
  4. Pink Sister Theresa Astilbe False Spirea, Photo Credit Walters Gardens Inc

    ‚Sister Theresa‚ Astilbe glows with thick, cotton candy-colored plumes that sway softly in the breeze. Mounds of finely-cut, green foliage remain true throughout the seas...

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    Sister Theresa Astilbe False Spirea Sister Theresa Astilbe arendsii Sister Theresa
    $17.32 Sale $13.86
    Per Bag of 3
    'Sister Theresa' Astilbe glows with thick, cotton candy-colored plumes that sway softly in the breeze. Mounds of finely-cut, green foliage remain true throughout the season, providing a graceful backdrop for later-blooming flowers. Lovely in rock gardens and when planted in drifts. Prefers moist soil. (Astilbe arendsii)
  5. Purple Astilbe arendsii Amethyst, Astilbe arendsii, False Spirea

    Plant this luminous Astilbe in any shady spot of the garden and it will be sure to turn heads – Amethyst’s rich, lavender plumes almost seem to glow! (Astilbe arendsii)...

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    Amethyst Astilbe False Spirea Amethyst Astilbe arendsii Amethyst
    $17.32 Sale $13.86
    Per Bag of 3
    Plant this luminous Astilbe in any shady spot of the garden and it will be sure to turn heads – Amethyst’s rich, lavender plumes almost seem to glow! (Astilbe arendsii)
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