Sherri Ribbey

Keep your shade garden colorful with this long-blooming perennial.

- Sherri Ribbey

1 | For lots of these pretty plumes, water astilbe regularly or site it where the soil stays consistently moist. Then you can grow other moisture-loving companions, such as queen of the prairie.

Botanical Names

Chinese astilbe Astilbe chinensis

Japanese astilbe Astilbe japonica

Queen of the prairie Filipendula rubra

Star astilbe Astilbe simplicifolia

Astilbe is one of those go-to perennials that brings so much to the garden. Its distinctive blooms range from bright and bold to soothing pastels, and they last for weeks- even months when you have the right combination of astilbes. Flower plumes come in different shapes, from stiffly upright, like the pink blooms at right, to loose and drapey. In addition, the ferny pest- and disease-free foliage provides great texture for your shade garden, and deer and rabbits usually give it a pass. Astilbe can even grow in full sun if you have a spot with plenty of moisture.

Though there are 25 species, just a few of them are the primary source for most of the hybrids you find at the garden center: Japanese astilbe is an early summer bloomer. Chinese astilbe and smaller star astilbe flower in midsummer.

Let's explore how you can design with and grow gorgeous plants like these.

Grow Gorgeous Astilbe 

2 | Terrific texture Besides beautiful flowers, astilbe’s deeply dissected leaves provide good contrast when paired with other leaf shapes, such as the smooth, round foliage of tall sedum.