About
Astilbe 'Etna' is a clump-forming perennial that reaches a height of up to 60 cm. Its stems are dark red, supporting glossy, dark green leaves that are divided and exhibit a dark red tint in the spring. In mid-summer, this plant produces long, upright, narrow plumes of deep red flowers, which transition to a bluish-red hue, extending up to 30 cm in length and rising above the foliage.
About the genus
Astilbe are perennial plants with rhizomes, characterized by their dissected leaves that typically have a ternate structure. In summer, they produce upright panicles filled with small flowers in shades of white, pink, or purple. The dried flower heads persist into autumn, adding interest to the landscape.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bogs, Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist but well-drained or boggy soil in dappled shade, or in indirect sun where the soil remains moisture-retentive in summer. Drought intolerant, may be damaged in hot sun. Good for waterside planting. See Astilbe cultivation
- Pruning
- Can cut back after flowering, or delay until spring as faded flower spikes can remain attractive in autumn and winter
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in late winter or early spring, pot divisions under glass and plant out in late spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to vine weevil
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to Powdery mildews and leaf scorch in hot sun