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Extend the Blooming Season of Your Astilbes

Early Season Astilbes, Midseason Astilbes, Late Season Astilbes, Astilbe Bloom Times

Early Season Astilbes, Midseason Astilbes, Late Season Astilbes, Astilbe Bloom Times, Early Season False Spirea, Midseason False Spirea, Late Season False Spirea, False Spirea Bloom Times

Immensely popular, Astilbes are fabulous plants for shady, moist conditions. They light up your shade garden for weeks with their elegant flower plumes and add a dazzling splash of color to the landscape. Ranging from 6 in (15 cm) to 24 in. tall (60 cm), their feathery plumes, in shades of lavender, pink, red, or white, can be incredibly striking. They rise gracefully above attractive mounds of fern-like foliage that remains attractive all season long (under satisfactory growing conditions) before turning progressively a rich caramel color that provides winter interest to the garden.

  • Relatively trouble-free, Astilbes require little maintenance, are heavy shade tolerant, and attract butterflies, but are deer and rabbit resistant! The perfect perennial for a shady border with dappled light!
  • These part shade to full shade lovers thrive in organically rich, evenly moist, well-drained soils. Easy to grow, their biggest enemy is dryness – so don’t let the soil dry out!
  • Native to Asia and North America, there are about 18 species of Astilbes and hundreds of cultivars, some less than 12 in. tall (30 cm) and ideal for the front of the border or rockeries. In contrast, others can easily reach 5 ft. in height (150 cm) and are better suited for the back of the border. This diversity in height makes Astilbes quite versatile, and they overachieve in providing a spectacular flower show, whether planted in perennial borders, woodlands, near streams and ponds, or in containers. Plant them in groups for better visual effects. Their flower plumes also make excellent fresh-cut flowers and can be dried in natural bouquets.
  • Astilbes bloom between late spring and late summer. They flower over a fairly long season since each flower plume consists of hundreds of densely packed tiny flowers, opening in succession. However, they do not all flower simultaneously and are classified with a blooming time ranging from Early to Late season. Therefore, to fill your garden with continuously blooming Astilbes throughout the season, you may plan to plant a variety of cultivars, from Early- to Late season bloomers.

To help you plan your late spring or summer garden and facilitate your selection of Astilbe varieties, here is a list of Astilbe cultivars organized by blooming season.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 2 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials
Genus Astilbe
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 6" - 5'
(15cm - 150cm)
Spread 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Loam
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit, Wet Soil, Full Shade
Attracts Butterflies, Bees
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage

If you are an unconditional Astilbe lover, select at least one Astilbe from each group to enjoy their glamorous blooms longer!

Early Season Astilbe Varieties For Your Garden
Mid-Season Astilbe Varieties For Your Garden
Late Season Astilbe Varieties For Your Garden

Garden Examples

A Fabulous Plant Combination for Moist Soils and Shady Gardens
A Pretty and Long-Lasting Garden Idea with Outstanding Plants
A Pretty Pathway with Grasses and Charming Perennials
An Elegant Summer Garden Idea with Hydrangea, Rose and Astilbe
A Pastel Border Idea with Astilbes, Hemerocallis and Geranium
A Striking Border with Astilbes and Grasses
Compare All Astilbe
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Astilbe
Guides with
Astilbe
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 2 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials
Genus Astilbe
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 6" - 5'
(15cm - 150cm)
Spread 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Loam
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit, Wet Soil, Full Shade
Attracts Butterflies, Bees
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage
Compare All Astilbe
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Astilbe
Guides with
Astilbe

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