About
Astilbe glaberrima var. saxatilis is a compact perennial that typically grows to a height of 8 cm and spreads to about 15 cm. It features glossy, bronze-green foliage that is finely divided, with a reddish tint on the undersides. In the summer, this plant produces short clusters of flowers, measuring up to 10 cm in length, that exhibit a pinkish-mauve hue with white accents, rising above the leaves.
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
- East-facing, West-facing, North-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bogs, Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Rock garden
- Native to
- Japan
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist 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
- Cut back after flowering
- 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