Now here’s an underused but very dependable perennial that is gaining in popularity as gardeners learn more about the diversity of heights, textures, blooms, and leaf and stem colors. Gail and I have been using them for years and both remember our parents using them successfully, too.

Astilbes range in height from ten-inch-tall ground cover types such as the late-blooming Pumila to the three- to four-foot-tall Purpurkerze (aka Purple Candles) to the five-foot-tall background astilbe ‘Superba’ with its purple scapes and fast-moving feet. They all prefer compost-rich moist soil and partial shade, but will tolerate full sun here in Vermont given adequate rain or supplemental watering.

Several years ago, we did a couple experimental plantings: one in an area known to flood for well over a month straight in the spring and the other adjacent to a vernal pond in an area that was quite damp all summer. In both instances, what some might call “neglectful planting” resulted in waves of colorful bloom that only get better each year.

Astilbes are most impressive in mass plantings where they do not have to compete with tree and shrub roots. We work leaf compost, aged manure, and peat moss into the soil at planting time and then top-mulch with old wood chips or more shredded leaves to maintain balanced moisture.

A typical three-inch root division will become a mature plant within three years and, if planted in well-amended soil to begin with, will continue to reach out for years to come. An astilbe root is a thick, fibrous root mass with a number of smaller, finer side roots. These strong root masses are often difficult to divide. This can be accomplished with a large knife, hand saw, or small axe. I am forever purchasing the cheap grocery store brand serrated bread knives because they work well for this task. Recently, I found a display of sheet rock (aka drywall) knives in a box store and they are the best. Taking an axe to a plant may seem odd, but over time, astilbe roots do get tough!

Many gardening journals describe astilbes for the strength they lend to the garden. They are physically able to stand well even under unfavorable wind conditions. As the plants mature, they form a tight clump of stems and leaves which work well with hostas, daylilies, actaeas, and eupatoriums. If you visit us, you’ll see that we continue to work them into a variety of situations, from full sun to fairly difficult shade.

As you consider using astilbes, evaluate their mature size, texture, and color as well as bloom time. In this part of New England, the bloom time ranges from June through August and on into mid-September with a couple later varieties. As with any plant, there are a number of variables involved in actual bloom time and that is something you’ll have to work with at your location. No matter which you choose, we’re certain you’ll enjoy this trouble-free perennial.

Dividing every fifth year (or when the center begins to degrade and bloom scapes diminish in number) will keep your astilbes looking good for a long time. Spring feeding around the plant perimeter with a fertilizer of your choice (organic or commercial) and fall clean up after several heavy frosts will keep them looking special. We wish we could suggest a good picture-heavy book to serve as a reference, but we haven’t seen one. We try to have our display gardens well-marked but don’t always have saleable quantities of everything that’s on display. Come. See. Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: Over the past 25 years, we have grown an astilbe offering in excess of 75 varieties. In more recent years, there seemed to be less interest at the flower farm in astilbes and more interest in daylilies and hostas. Perhaps this is misleading and it was actually our own growing interest in the daylilies and hostas. Coincidently, we reduced our current offerings just in time for hybridizers world wide to begin to offer brand new, knock-your-socks-off varieties. We continue to regroup on astilbes and are working our way back into the new varieties.