ASTILBE

Bring Vibrant Texture and Color to Your Shade Garden

GROWING ASTILBE

If you have a shady corner where other flowering plants refuse to thrive, Astilbe is a wonderful solution. These spectacular, clump-forming perennials illuminate dark garden beds with bold swaths of color and intricate texture from late spring through mid-summer.

Astilbes are instantly recognizable by their feathery, plume-like flowers, which come in rich shades of red, pink, lavender, purple, and crisp white. But the beauty doesn't stop at the blossoms, their glossy, fern-like foliage is equally striking, showing off hues of deep green, bronze, and copper-brown. While they are historically celebrated as deer-resistant additions to the landscape, local island deer have occasionally been spotted snacking on them recently, so it's always wise to keep an eye on them!

ASTIBLE ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES!

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COMPANION PLANTING

Perfect Combinations for Moisture & Shade

Astilbes love company, provided their neighbors share their love of cool roots and afternoon shade. They are fantastic for attracting butterflies to the garden! To create a lush, multi-layered look, try pairing them with these moisture-loving favorites:

Shrubs: Hydrangeas or Hypericum (St. John's Wort).
Perennials: Rodgersia (Roger’s Flower), Snakeroot (Cimicifuga/Actaea), Meadow Rue (Thalictrum), and a diverse mix of hardy ferns.

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CARE

Skip the Deadheading!

With most summer perennials, gardeners are trained to consistently snip off faded flowers to trigger a second flush of blooms. Astilbe is the exception. Cutting back spent Astilbe blooms won’t bring more flowers, and you’ll actually miss out on a key attribute! Their dried, copper-toned flower heads possess immense ornamental value and structure. We recommend leaving them standing to add architectural interest to your borders clear into autumn, though you can cut them down at any time if you prefer a tidier look.

Soil & Sun: Plant in partial to full shade. They absolutely thrive in a loamy, humus-rich soil that holds moisture well.
Watering: Check your plants regularly. Astilbes require plenty of water and consistent moisture. Water deeply to promote a robust, resilient root system and protect them from scorching afternoon sun.
Feeding: Apply a high-quality organic fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges.
Dividing: Astilbes are robust growers that quickly form broad clumps. Divide your overgrown clumps every 3 to 4 years in the spring.

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Astilbe Varieties

Vineyard Gardens carries 25 to 30 different cultivars at the nursery, offering an incredible range of heights, bloom times, and colors. Here are a few standout favorites to look for on your next visit:

Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila': A fantastic, low-growing variety that spreads to form a dense, weed-suppressing ground cover. (10” tall)
Astilbe 'Hennie Graafland': A lovely, delicate dwarf variety perfect for front-of-the-border edging. (12”–18” tall)
Astilbe 'Montgomery': Features deep red plumes over dark, bronze-tinted foliage. (20"–24” tall)
Astilbe chinensis 'Superba': One of our absolute tallest pink selections, making a massive architectural statement. (24”–48” tall)
Astilbe chinensis 'Mighty Red Quin': A robust, towering giant featuring massive, ruby-red plumes late in the season. (39”–47” tall)
Other varieties we regularly stock include: Erika, Mighty Pip, Purple Candles, Bressingham Beauty, Delft Lace, Little Visions in Pink, Straussenfeder (Ostrich Plume), Deutschland, Visions, and Mauve.
Stop by the nursery this week to wander through our shade houses and find the perfect texture combination for your woodland garden beds!