The basic information about the plant
The common names: The common names
are florist’s spirea, false goat's beard, false spirea, etc.
The plant type: An Astilbe plant is an
herbaceous perennial that spreads via underground rhizomes.
The zones: three to nine depending on
variety.
Plant exposure: This plant does best
in partial shade to shade.
Furthermore, Astilbes plants are
typically classified as early, mid, or late season bloomers, although depends
on the species and cultivar. The early blooming varieties normally emerge in
spring, the late bloomers hold off until July or August. Although the bloom
times vary widely, you can actually combine plants from each category for an
ever-blooming garden from May through September.
The length of bloom: four to six
weeks.
The height: Eight inches to four feet.
Basic characteristics
of plant
This particular plant provides
year-round interest, beginning with their foliage in early spring and ending
with dried feathery plumes and seedheads in winter. In between, these showy
perennials are some of the best plants for summer color, displaying delicately
fragrant bottlebrush-shaped blooms in colors ranging from creamy white and soft
pink to deep purple and crimson red. Astilbe flower clusters range in size from
six inches to two feet in length, depending on the species or cultivar. Even
when not in bloom, their deeply-cut leaves remain attractive all season and are
often enhanced by tones of bronze or burgundy. Some have especially
eye-catching foliage in shades such as bright chartreuse, chocolate, and russet
red.
Some of the common
types
The hybrid astilbe (Astilbe
×arendsii): This is by far the largest group of garden hybrids and it actually includes
more than a hundred varieties. Most of them are early-season bloomers, emerging
in late spring or early summer.
The Chinese astilbe (Astilbe
chinensis): These fast-spreading, rhizomatous plants are most times used as
groundcovers. The Chinese astilbe bloom later than the arendsii hybrids and are
more drought and heat tolerant.
The Japanese astilbe (Astilbe
japonica): The Japanese astilbe is an early-to-mid summer bloomer with dense,
pyramidal flower plumes.
The star astilbe (Astilbe
simplicifolia): The star astilbe is a slow-growing, compact plant with shiny
leaves and delicate starlike flowers.
How to grow Astilbe
plant
The period to plant: You can plant in
spring after the threat of severe frost has passed, or in early-to-mid fall.
The place to plant: Astilbe plant is
best grown in partial shade to shade, they tolerate filtered sun. This plant
will also grow well in full sun in northern zones. Although they are best use
in light shade, since they provide a bright splash of color to banish gloom. In
warm southern regions they can be planted in partial to full shade to prevent
scorching of the leaves.
The soil: From my little experience
all astilbes even the more drought-tolerant varieties, prefer cool, moist soil
rich in organic matter. Make sure you keep the soil evenly damp but not soggy, most
especially during the winter when plants are dormant. Make sure you avoid
planting in heavy clay soils and sites with poor drainage. You can amend the
soil with compost or organic matter to improve structure and moisture
retention. To Learn more about Astilbe plants click here
How to plant Astilbe
This particular plant can be grown
from root divisions, nursery-grown plants or seeds, although you will have a better
success planting divisions or potted plants because astilbe seeds have a
tendency to rot in the ground before they germinate. Make sure you place the
crown of the plant about an inch below the soil surface, and then fan or spread
out the roots to encourage new root growth. You can space the plants at least sixteen
inches apart to allow ample growing room for the attractive foliage.
Companions plants: These are moisture-loving,
shade-tolerant plants such as small ferns, hostas, Siberian iris (Iris sibirica),
lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), lungwort (Pulmonaria) Siberian bugloss
(Brunnera macrophylla), and variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum
'Variegatum').
Water application and
fertilizer requirements
These plants are thirsty plants and
heavy feeders during the growing season. Make sure you keep the plant well
watered, most especially during the heat of the summer. And again a one-time
application of a timed-release granular fertilizer before flowering begins in
spring should be enough to satisfy the plant appetite. Don’t forget that early-flowering
astilbe varieties form buds in the autumn for the next season’s flowers, so
fertilizing these plants again in October with a high-nitrogen fertilizer will really
help to stimulate bud formation the following spring.
Furthermore, in other to help
preserve soil moisture, make sure you keep them well mulched with leaf mold,
compost or another type of organic material. By peradventure if you notice that
the root crowns are rising above the soil, you can gently press them back into
the ground before top dressing.
Pest control
Astilbe plants are rarely bothered by
diseases or insects, even including the pesky garden slugs that typically nosh
on plants grown in a moist environment. Astilbe plants are deer and rabbit
resistant.
To Learn more about Astilbe plants click here
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