Astilbe plant with pink feathery plumes of flowers growing in the garden
Your guide to planting, growing, and caring for shade-loving perennials that brighten up any garden
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Planting
Where to Plant Astilbe
Astilbes prefer light to moderate shade, but deep shade will result in few and/or poor flowers; full sun will burn the tender foliage. These plants demand moist, damp soil, but they must also drain well and not puddle, which would ensure their failure. Amend the soil with compost or aged manure (especially in clay types) to increase fertility; astilbe is a heavy feeder. Add perlite and coarse sand to improve drainage.
When to Plant Astilbe
- Astilbe is usually planted as small plants purchased from garden stores in spring or fall.
- Starting from seed is very difficult for the home gardener; astilbe can be difficult to germinate, and resulting plants tend to be short-lived.
- Division is recommended to create new plants at home. Divide existing astilbe plants as soon as you see new growth in early spring.
Photo: znmysteryPhoto
How to Plant Astilbe
Plant purchased plants about 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the type. Dig the hole and loosen the soil to about 10 to 12 inches deep. Mix in a handful of compost. Set the crown (where roots and plant connect) just below the soil line. Backfill with the soil removed from the hole. Water well after planting.
If setting bare-root plants, dig holes twice as wide as the plants’ roots and 4 to 6 inches deep. Place the plants so the roots are fanned slightly and pointing downwards, with the crown planted 1 to 2 inches below the ground level. Cover the roots with soil and press firmly.
Water well and keep consistently moist (not soaked).
Types
Popular astilbe hybrids include …
- ‘Fanal’, for its dark green foliage and dark crimson flowers; about 1-1/2 feet tall.
- ‘Irrlicht’, for its dark green foliage and elegant white flowers; up to 2 feet tall.
- ‘Venus’, for its bright green foliage and bright pink flowers; up to 3 feet tall.
- ‘Visions’ has strong stems, green leaves, thick raspberry flowers, and is more drought tolerant.
Catherine Boeckmann
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I have had a row of astilbe growing on the east side of my house for a decade, between my sidewalk and the foundation. It is in a sandy soil. I thought I lost them last summer during an extremely hot summer drought in SW Ontario, Canada, they died right back, I only had one with any leaves on it. Surprisingly, they came back this spring as if nothing happened. I don't think these flowers are difficult to grow at all if they are in the right place.
I planted 12-18 (can't remember - bought in bags at Costco) Astilbes 3 varieties in early April. A couple did not come up, however the rest did and some are already in bloom. I would say they are Very easy to grow- filtered morning and afternoon sun. No special watering needs, but may require some extra watering this summer. Good Luck!
I planted 3 roots of the red sentinel and 2 of the purple sonny boys in may they are in mostly shade. When should I see any growth in the ground from them coming up.im watering them like I should.how long shall I see some growth
I gave my daughter in law 6 Astilbe bulbs which she planted mid April and has been watering every few days for a month now but no sign of anything yet. We live in Central Illinois and her flower bed is on the west side of the house in moderate shade/sun...any help would be great!
Hello,
We live in Southeast Michigan, and I recently purchased 4 Astilbe plants. While we have mild temperatures this week, it is highly likely that we will have a few/many frosts in April and May. Would you know when it would be 'safe' to plant them? Thank you!
I'm a huge fan of plant food to get plants started and don't forget your soil might not be the best. Start with a deep hole about 8" add potting soil and manure. Feed plants once a month.
Hi Rosanne, excellent question!
You should plant new Astilbe plants after all danger of frost has passed. For a young plant establishing its root system, the frost would most likely damage and stunt its growth. We would recommend waiting until a mid to late May to plant, but you can also find the last frost date for your region by entering in your zip code here: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates/
As you might be able to tell from other questions and responses to this post, Astilbe is a needy plant requiring a middle ground of everything. It needs plenty of water, but not too much; partial sun, but too much and it could burn; and balanced soil with pH between 6.0 and 8.0. Just read and try to follow the guidance from the article above the best you can. Good luck and happy gardening!
I had new astilbes planted last July; they looked pretty feeble from the get-go, and almost died but after some careful watering and pruning, they revived and at least were small green leafy plants. After the first freeze, they totally went brown and all the leaves fell off, and they just look like crumpled dead brown stems now. Are they dead for good or as of April should they be showing at least some signs of regrowth? They look dead to me.
Should my astilbe's look dead at this time of year ?
Astilbes will go dormant (and look dead) when not in season, but in the spring they should start to revive and leaf out once ideal conditions (including plenty of water) return.
