Astilbe - Astilbe or False Spirea (Saxifragaceae) ------Astilbe is a summer-flowering, shade-loving textured, and arising from the center of the crown, perennial having terminal plumes of feathery with one to many plumes per plant inflorescences held above the basal compound -colors include white, cream, pink, lavender, violet, foliage. False spirea is effectively used in group or purple, red, or scarlet mass plantings. -often a prolonged (2-6 week) bloom period during the months from June to Sept., depending upon the FEATURES species, hybrid, or cultivar Form Fruits -usually a small herbaceous perennial, although some -fruiting stalks sometimes provide an ornamental forms are medium-sized winter effect against a snowy background, and may -ranging from 1-5' tall x 1-2' wide, depending upon either be left as is, or deadheaded to enhance the species, hybrid, and/or cultivar; most are about 1.5' foliage effect in summer tall x 1' wide -upright clump growth habit USAGE Culture Function -partial shade to full shade -entranceway, foundation, bed, edging, border, or performs best in evenly moist, rich, organic, well- raised planter shade perennial, often used effectively drained soils in partial shade, but is somewhat in group or mass plantings tolerant of more harsh conditions as long as sufficient -nearly continuous bloom of Astilbe can be moisture is provided during the dry periods of accomplished throughout the summer growing season summer by placement of various types throughout the -propagated primarily by crown division, but also by perennial garden that have sequential bloom periods seeds or tissue culture (see the list below for some of the more popular -Saxifrage Family, with no significant disease or pest examples) problems Texture -abundantly available in containers, with many -fine texture in foliage and when flowering species, hybrids, and cultivars -open to average density -remove debris from the previous year's growth in Assets early spring, before new growth emerges -feathery plumes of fine-textured, solid-colored -wilting and dieback of the attractive foliage for the inflorescences above the foliage remainder of the season during hot, dry summers can -shade-loving perennial be avoided by regular summer irrigation Liabilities Foliage -most modern hybrids are not especially heat or -ternately or biternately compound leaves with drought tolerant, and will exhibit wilting and foliage leaflets that are ovate and doubly serrated, emerging dieback due to mid-summer dormancy unless from the crown as red, bronzed, or green foliage and supplemental irrigation is applied usually maturing as bronzed, dark green, or medium Habitat green foliage that is dull shiny, depending upon the -Zones 4 to 9 species, hybrid, and/or cultivar -Native to the Orient -autumn color is unchanged if the foliage has persisted into autumn, as the plant sometimes dies SELECTIONS back to the crown and enters a season-ending Alternates dormancy during hot, dry summers -fine-textured floral display of perennials (Aruncus, Eremurus, Ligularia 'The Rocket', Miscanthus sinensis, Pennisetum, etc.) or annuals (Ageratum houstonianum, Celosia [plumosa type], Lobularia maritima, etc.) Variants -various species, hybrids, and cultivars are noted for different bloom periods, height, floral color, foliage color, and glossy or dull foliage -Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal' - an early blooming (early to mid-June) cultivar with dark red inflorescences, to 2' tall; a popular cultivar for over 60 yrs., one of the first introduced by George Arends, for whom the hybrids were scientifically named -Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' - a late blooming (Aug.- Sept.) lavender pink dwarf form (up to 1' tall) with tomentose foliage, slowly spreading underground by rhizomes, effective as an edging groundcover for shady sites, and moderately drought tolerant -Astilbe 'Deutschland' - an early blooming (early to mid-June) cultivar with white inflorescences, to 2' tall -Astilbe simplicifolia 'Sprite' - a mid-season (late June-July) pale pink blooming form with glossy basal foliage that emerges bronzed, up to 1.5' tall -Astilbe taquetti 'Purple Candles' - a mid-season (late June-July) purple blooming form with bronzed Flowers basal foliage, up to 4' tall, drought tolerant, and with -inflorescences are solid-colored, pyramidal, fine- the capacity to rebloom if deadheaded and watered