About
A vigorous, upright, clump-forming perennial up to 1.5m tall with blue-green foilage divided into three-lobed leaflets. Tall, branching stems bear airy clouds of tiny pinkish-purple flowers with prominent, yellow-tipped stamens from late spring into early summer.
About the genus
Thalictrum can be rhizomatous or tuberous perennials with ternately or pinnately divided, often attractive foliage, and panicles or racemes of small flowers with showy stamens and sometimes large colourful petal-like sepals
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeLoam, Clay, Chalk
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
Native toJapan S Korea
Care notes
CultivationGrow in moisture-retentive, humus-rich but well-drained soil in partial shade, and provide support if necessary, for example by growing among shrubs. See staking perennials for further advice
PruningFaded flower stems can be cut back in late autumn or in spring before new growth starts emerging
PropagationPropagate by seed or by division
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews in dry conditions