| Description | Rhineland Astilbe (Astilbe x ardensii) is an Astilbe with clear pink flowers. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (ah-STIL-bee) |
| Plant Type | Perennials Hardy |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-8 |
| Sunlight | Prefers semi-shaded sites, will tolerate more light if the soil is kept moist. I have a group of Astilbe in a 1/2 to 3/4 day sunny spot for over 10 years and they are a show stoppers when blooming. To achieve this they are growing in a bed that is raised a few inches and the soil is naturally constantly wet. |
| Moisture | Needs moist soil. Plants growing in dry conditions will be small, few blooms and tend to dry up during the hotter days in the summer |
| Soil & Site | rich, humusy moist well-drained soils |
| Flowers | panicles of clear pink flowers |
| Leaves | Dark green, ternately compound and the leaflets are coarsely serrated. The dissected foliage is an attractive feature of the plant |
| Dimensions | foliage mound to 12 inches, flower scape to 24 inches |
| Maintenance | Division of the clumps every 2-3 years will help to maintain the vigor of the plant. Astilbe 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. Be careful since many Astilbe are easily pulled out of the soil. |
| Propagation | division |
| Misc Facts | George Arends of Germany was one of the first to create new varieties of Astilbe (x ardensii) which lead to the plants popularity. |
| Author's Notes | The main factors to get maximum performance, are proper soil moisture, division and fertilizing. |
| 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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