Great for color in the shade, and takes damp clay like a champ. Deciduous, but flowers remain upright throughout the winter, providing in...Read Moreterest year-round. Maintenance free, and said to take more sun than most astilbe--last year's blooms were unfortunately fried in a freak heatwave, but they're coming back beautifully this spring.
The "Visions" cultivar comes in many shades, including white, pink, and the "red" that I have, which is a deep fuchsia.
All astilbe have fernlike foliage that looks great with hostas and other large-leaved shade plants, carex, and even hydrangea. It is suggested that they be divided every three to four years to maintain attractiveness.
One book on perennials suggests using a heavy nitrogen (lawn) fertilizer on them in the fall to enhance; I have not tried this (keep forgetting to do it), but they still look great.
Recommend this (or any astilbe) to any gardener needing color in shade, especially if you have difficult clay soil.
Great for color in the shade, and takes damp clay like a champ. Deciduous, but flowers remain upright throughout the winter, providing in...Read More