About
'Astrantia major 'Rubra'' is a clump-forming perennial that reaches heights of up to 90 cm. It features deeply lobed, serrated leaves with a rich green hue and dark red-green stems. From early to late summer, it produces umbels of pincushion-shaped flowers in a deep plum color, accompanied by a distinctive ruff of dark red bracts.
About the genus
Astrantia is a group of herbaceous perennials that grow in clumps, featuring basal leaves that are palmately lobed. The plants develop upright, slender stems that showcase dense clusters of small flowers, which are encircled by a whorl of prominent bracts.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Prairie planting, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist, fertile, preferably humus-rich soil (incorporate plenty of organic matter when planting if necessary) in partial shade, or in sun if the soil stays reasonably moist in summer; mulch with organic matter in spring
- Pruning
- No pruning required, but cutting faded flowers back to the ground will encourage further flowers
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in autumn or spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to astrantia leaf miner
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free