Plant Image Data Base
Astilbe
Astilbe or False Spirea
- Form
- herbaceous perennial
- ranging from 1' to 5' tall by 1' to 2' wide,
depending upon species, hybrid, and/or cultivar;
many are 1.5' tall by 1' wide
- upright growth habit
- Culture
- partial shade to full shade
- needs moist, rich, well-drained soils for optimum
performance
- wilting and dieback of the attractive foliage in
hot, dry summers can be avoided by occasional
summer watering
- no significant disease or pest problems
- abundantly available in containers
- remove debris from the previous year's growth in
early spring, before new growth emerges
- Foliage
- fernlike in appearance, emerging from the crown
as red, bronzed, or green foliage and usually
maturing as bronzed, dark green, or medium green
foliage, depending upon species, hybrid, and/or
cultivar
- leaflets doubly serrated and ovate
- Flowers
- inflorescences are solid colored, pyramidal,
fine-textured, and arising from the center of the
crown, with one to many plumes per plant
- colors include white, cream, pink, lavender,
violet, purple, red, or scarlet
- often a prolonged (two to six week) bloom period
during the months from June to September,
depending upon the cultivar
- Function
- entranceway, foundation, bed, edging, border, or
raised planter shade perennial, often used
effectively in group or mass plantings
- nearly continuous bloom of Astilbe can be
accomplished throughout the summer growing season
by placement of various types throughout the
perennial garden that have sequential bloom
periods (see the list below for some of the more
popular examples)
- Purpose
- Astilbe is a perennial for the shade, noted for
its fine-textured pyramidal inflorescences, good
foliage, and winter fruiting-head effect.
- Summary
- Astilbe is a summer-flowering,
shade-loving perennial having terminal plumes of
feathery inflorescences held above the basal
compound foliage, effectively used in group or
mass plantings.
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