| Description | A tall Astilbe with reddish purple flowers. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (ah-STIL-bee)(chi-NEN-sis) |
| Plant Type | All Plants, Perennials Hardy |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-8 |
| Sunlight | Prefer semi-shaded sites will tolerate more light in the soil is kept moist. |
| Moisture | average, moist, seems to tolerate drier conditions better then other Astilbe, drier conditions will lessen the height |
| Soil & Site | rich, humusy moist well-drained |
| Flowers | large reddish purple, panicles on stiff upright scapes, seed heads last for extended periods of time |
| Leaves | pinnately compound green leaves, stoloniferous |
| Dimensions | 3-4 feet tall, space 18-24 inches on center |
| Maintenance | Division of the clumps every 2-3 years will help to maintain the vigor of the plant. Astillbe are heavy feeders and need to be fertilized every year in the spring and also in the early fall. Some of my Astilbe tend to heave in the winter. In the spring I cover the exposed roots with soil, mulch or dug them in |
| Propagation | division |
| Author's Notes | I have grown this Astilbe along with Astilbe chinensis Superba and sometimes it is hard to tell them apart. The flower color will vary with the growing conditions. I have a group of Astilbe in a 1/2 to 3/4 day sunspot for over 10 years and they are a showstopper when blooming. To achieve this they are growing in a bed that is raised a few inches and the soil is naturally constantly wet. |
| Notes & Reference | #04-Herbaceous Perennial Plants (Allan Armitage), #40-Herbaceous Ornamental Plants (Steven Stills), #54-The Well Tended Garden (DiSabato-Aust) |
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