(Astilbe, False Spirea, Key West False Spirea)

Star astilbe (Simplicifolia Group hybrids) are clump-forming, herbaceous perennials that were first native to wooded areas of eastern Asia, primarily Japan before being crossed with other species. They are usually compact and low-growing with compound leaves (although the species has simple oval leaves) and plume-like floral inflorescences of pink, rose, and white borne in the summer. The flowerheads fade to attractive shades of brown in the fall, providing landscape interest through early winter....

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Lollipop False Spirea)

The dense rosy pink plumes of ‘Lollypop’ make a lovely statement in the late summer landscape. They are highly attractive to bees and butterflies and play nicely against its ferny, glossy, dark green leaves. This clump forming perennial is quite hardy and spreads slowly by rhizomes. Its spent blooms turn to brown when they set fruit and will remain architectural and attractive through winter if left uncut.

This favorite easy to grow perennial prefers partial shade and fertile, moist soil. If...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Pink Lightning Astilbe)

The vigorous and compact Astilbe ‘Pink Lightening’ offers huge, feathery, pale pink plumes in summer. This free-flowering cultivar was bred in The Netherlands by Wim van Veen.

The light airy pink plumes of Pink Lightening’ first appear in midsummer. They are highly attractive to bees and butterflies and play nicely against its ferny, glossy, dark green leaves. This clump forming perennial is quite hardy and spreads slowly by rhizomes. It is a vigorous hybrid with Astible simplicifolia...

(Pink Pearl Astilbe)

Tall and free-flowering, the hybrid astilbe ‘Pink Pearl’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for its tolerance of shade, dependable bloom, plush spikes of flowers, and dark, dense ferny foliage. It blooms in summer at the top of tall, slender upright stems with spikes that have a branching habit a bit like a tall, skinny Christmas tree. Tiny, closely packed, silvery-pink flowers clothe the spikes, transforming them into plush, billowing, plumes that wave in the breeze. One plant may produce several...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Red Light Astilbe)

Middle-sized and free-flowering, the hybrid astilbe ‘Red Light’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for its tolerance of shade, dependable bloom, plush spikes of flowers, and toothy, uniform leaves. It blooms in summer at the top of tall, slender upright stems with spikes that have a branching habit a bit like a tall, skinny Christmas tree. Tiny, closely packed, red flowers clothe the spikes, transforming them into plush, billowing, plumes that wave in the breeze. One plant may produce several stems,...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Red Ostrich Plume Astilbe)

Large and free-flowering, the hybrid astilbe ‘Red Ostrich Plume’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for its tolerance of shade, dependable bloom, and toothy leaves, but above all for its elegantly weeping flowers. It blooms in summer at the top of tall, slender upright stems that arch at the top, bearing spikes that have a branching habit a bit like a Christmas tree. Tiny, closely packed, salmon-red flowers clothe the spikes, transforming them into plush, billowing plumes that nod in the breeze. One...

(Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea, Red Sentinel False Spirea)

Red Sentinel astilbe is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with summertime plume flowers. It is a tall hybrid cultivar with green leaves and a compact inflorescence of deep crimson red flowers which bloom in midsummer.

'Red Sentinel' requires full sun to partial shade and must be grown in moist, well-drained soils and perform best in shady locations. The flowerheads fade to attractive shades of brown in the fall, providing landscape interest through winter. They function best in shade gardens,...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Rhythm and Blues False Spirea)

Hybrid astilbes are feathery-flowered herbaceous perennials deriving from crosses involving Astilbe thunbergii, A. chinensis and others. The cultivar 'Rhythm and Blues' produces fuzzy plumes of raspberry-pink flowers on slender stems in late spring and early summer over clumps of dark, ferny leaves.

This perennial prefers partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil, but will tolerate full sun if moisture is constant. Plant with hostas, lungwort, bleeding heart, and other shade-loving...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Sheila Haxton False Spirea)

Hennie Graafland false spirea is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial that produces light, bronze-green compound leaves and an upright plume-like dark salmon-pink branching inflorescence in the summer. The flower buds open to lighter, delicate coral-pink flowers, later fade to attractive shades of brown in the fall, providing landscape interest into winter.

For best growth, 'Sheila Haxton' needs a fertile, moist soil in full sun to partial shade. A plant in full sun needs more moisture to...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, ShowStar Mix False Spirea)

Among the best and prettiest perennials for shade, plants in 'Showstar Mix' have upright branches and glossy, dark-green, ferny leaves. In summer tall stems rise above the plants, topped by branched flower spikes that look a bit like Christmas trees. Tiny, closely packed flowers clothe the spikes, transforming them into feathery plumes in colors ranging from white to deep rose. The flowers can persist for weeks after they dry, looking attractive thanks to their shape. Cutting back spent flower stems...