PLANTprofile
Astilbe
By Kathy Jentz
False Spirea (Astilbe sp.) is a perennial for that wet, shady spot in your garden. Feathery blooms atop fern-like foliage give this plant a graceful appearance. It can take some direct morning sun, but will burn in hot afternoon summer sun. It is deer-resistant and tolerates clay soils well. Use mid-border in a mixed garden bed or in a container as the central feature. It spreads slowly and is fairly easy to divide. It is generally hardy down to Zone 4. Astilbe is often seen in white hues, but also check out the colors offered in the Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’ collection—from dark-red to pink-purple. I interplant mine with early-spring bulbs such as ‘Thalia’ daffodils so the emerging Astilbe foliage in mid-spring covers the bulbs as they dieback. I leave the flower heads to dry on the plant because they remain attractive for many months. (Here’s a garden color secret: You can give those dried flowers a shot of spray paint or floral paint to keep their color all season—and no one will be the wiser!) The only maintenance it needs is to cut back the flower stalks in winter when they start to look ratty. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.
JUNE 2022
WASHINGTON GARDENER
21
