Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard)

Resembling the delicate Astilbe, Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard) is a great-looking perennial with highly attractive feathery plumes of tiny, starry, creamy-white flowers that rise well above the dark green foliage. Blooming from early to mid-summer, it should be noted that the male plants (with many stamens per flower) feature more attractive blooms than the female plants (3 pistils per flower). Once the flowers are less prominent, the handsome billowing mounds of fernlike leaves take over, extending the visual appeal through fall.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Erect and bushy, this clump-forming perennial slowly grows 4-6 ft. tall (120-180 cm) and spreads 2-4 ft. (60-120 cm).
• Thrives in fertile, organically-rich, medium to wet soils in full sun or part shade. Performs well in sun as long as the soil is consistently moist. Prefers part shade in the southern part of its growing range.
• Excellent background plant for shady and moist areas creates stunning hedges and is ideal as a specimen plant or planted in groups along streams, bog gardens, or water gardens.
• Easy to grow, it is fairly pest and disease free. Keep an eye out for sawflies.
• This plant attracts bees and butterflies and is the host plant for the Dusky Azure butterfly. It is rabbit resistant.
• Cut back after flowering
• Propagate by seed sown in spring or autumn or by division in spring
• Native to Eurasia, south-eastern and south-central Alaska.