Astilbe is a herbaceous perennial with amazingly beautiful inflorescences that look like shaggy panicles. They can reach a third of the height of the entire plant and form large snow-white, purple or pink candles. The plant belongs to the Saxifraga family. In nature, it can be found on wet, marshy lands, under the canopy of deciduous forests or along the banks of a stream in the vast expanses of North America and the Far East. It tolerates winter and frosts down to -37°C well, so it is actively used in temperate climates and colder regions for the design of gardens and parks.
Appearance
Astilbe is a perennial plant with erect, highly branched shoots. Depending on the type, its height is 8-200 cm. Woody roots can grow more densely or spread far in the soil. In the fall, all above-ground shoots die off, and new shoots appear in the spring from growing points on the rhizome. Astilbe tends to increase the height of the woody rhizome, so gradually a high mound forms at the planting site.
Most of the foliage is concentrated in basal rosettes, but several smaller and whole leaves grow on the shoot itself. The long-petiolate, pinnately dissected leaf is dark green. Sometimes there are reddish stains on the surface. In the main species, leaves and flowers have a matte surface. The name can be translated as “without shine.” Each leaf segment has an oval shape with carved edges. Convex veins are clearly visible on the leaf.
The flowering period begins in June-July and lasts 2-3 weeks (sometimes a month). At this time, a large lush panicle or brush grows at the top of the stem. It is densely dotted with very small flowers. The length of the inflorescence is 10-60 cm. The corollas are regular in shape and consist of elongated petals and short stamens with an ovary. Flower color can be coral, white, lilac or red. A delicate pleasant aroma spreads around the blooming astilbe.
In place of the pollinated flowers, small seed pods with very small dark brown seeds ripen.
Types and varieties of astilbe
Only 25 plant species have been registered in the genus Astilbe. About 10 of them are common in culture. Since this ornamental plant is very popular among gardeners, the number of varieties exceeds 200 units.
Astilbe Arends (A. Arendsii). The plant is a large spreading shrub up to 1 m high. It quickly takes on a spherical or pyramidal shape and is covered with dark green pinnately dissected foliage. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts up to 40 days. At this time, long racemose inflorescences with snow-white, red, lilac or pink buds bloom at the tops of the sprouts. Because of the short petals, the inflorescence seems more elegant and delicate. Several short branches, also dotted with buds, extend from the main stem. Varieties:
- Amethyst - on a spherical bush up to 1 m high, lush lilac panicles bloom above the green foliage;
- Lollipop - a plant up to 50 cm high with burgundy-green shiny leaves blooms dark coral-red flowers;
- Bumalda - a bush 40-60 cm high, covered with reddish-green foliage and blooms white inflorescences with a crimson border on the petals;
- Gloria Weiss - a spherical subshrub with a diameter of 1 m with dark green glossy leaves blooms with white or light cream lush inflorescences;
- America - stems up to 70 cm high with carved bright green leaves are covered with pale pink flowers in July;
- Diamond (white astilbe) - large light green leaves on stems up to 70 cm high are set off by white wide panicles 14-20 cm long.
Chinese astilbe (A. chinensis). The slightly branched plant reaches a height of 50-110 cm. Its erect shoots at the base are covered with larger petiole leaves, and the stem foliage is smaller. The dark green leaves have a metallic sheen. At the tops there are pyramidal inflorescences 30-35 cm long. They are shaded lilac or purple. Varieties:
- Vision in ed - stems 40-50 cm high are covered with green leaves, and at the top there is a fluffy dark crimson inflorescence;
- Purpurkertse - pyramidal vegetation up to 1 m high grows long, purple-pink candle-like inflorescences.
Astilbe Thunberg (A. thunbergii). A very ornamental plant forms a dense, slender bush up to 80 cm high. At the base of the stem and along the entire length, long-petioled serrated leaves of bright green color grow. In mid-July, openwork racemose inflorescences up to 20 cm long and about 10 cm wide bloom. The Straussenfeder variety with long panicles drooping under their weight, painted in a light coral pink shade, is very popular.
Japanese astilbe (A. japonica). The compact plant does not exceed 80 cm in height. It is covered with small dark green leaves. A silver ornament is visible on their shiny surface. Inflorescences-panicles of white or pink color bloom earlier than the others and remain decorative even after drying. The Montgomery variety grows only 50-60 cm in height. Its top is decorated with fluffy bright red inflorescences.
Simple-leaved astilbe (A. simplicifolia). Thickets of dark green leaves 20-50 cm high are decorated with long, thin stems with narrow, candle-like inflorescences. Under the weight of flowers, the shoots bend beautifully. The Aphrodite variety has beautiful coral-red flowers.
Reproduction methods
Astilbe propagates by sowing seeds, dividing the bush and buds. For sowing, seeds collected in the previous year are used. In March, they are buried 5-7 mm into sandy-peaty soil, and then covered with a snow cap for stratification. Then the pots, covered with film, are placed in the refrigerator for another 2-3 weeks. Then the pot is moved to a warm (about +20°C) room. Shoots appear within 7-10 days. At first they are very thin and weak, so you need to water the soil carefully. You can spray the surface with a spray bottle and add a little water to the pan. Seedlings with 2-3 leaves are planted in separate peat pots, with which they are later planted.
Dividing the bush is considered the simplest and most effective way to propagate astilbe, especially since without replanting astilbe should not be grown for longer than 5-7 years, then the plant becomes too dense and forms a high hill. It is better to carry out manipulation in mid-spring. First, a bush with a large lump of earth is completely dug up, shaken off the soil and the roots are freed. Using a sharp blade, cut the underground sprouts so that at least 4 growth points remain on each section. The seedlings are distributed into fresh planting holes at a distance of 30 cm and carefully watered.
Reproduction by buds gives a good effect. They are separated in early spring, before young shoots begin to grow. It is necessary to cut off the bud with the heel from the rhizome. The cut areas are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. The buds are planted in pots with a mixture of peat and gravel. Soon young shoots will appear. As they develop, the cover can be removed. Watering is carried out with caution. In the fall or next spring, the stronger plants are planted in a permanent place.
Landing rules
In the garden, it is better to choose slightly shaded places for astilbe. The northern side of a fence or wall of any building, the shade of trees, is suitable. It is good if groundwater lies close to the soil surface, which will feed the roots with moisture. You can also plant astilbe near a pond. The earth should have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
Before planting, thoroughly loosen the soil, break up large clods and remove dry roots. To make the soil more nutritious, add peat and rotted manure. Planting holes up to 30 cm deep are located at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other. Ash and mineral fertilizers are poured into the bottom of each. The growth points on the roots are placed 4-5 cm deeper than the soil level. As the rhizome grows and develops, it rises slightly and will have to be sprinkled. After planting, the soil is compacted and then mulched with humus or peat in a layer 3-5 cm thick.
Plant care
Astilbe is a non-capricious plant. If the place chosen is sufficiently shady and humid, the plant will not cause any trouble. Basic care comes down to regular watering. Since flowers naturally grow in damp forests, when the soil dries out, the leaves quickly wither and the inflorescences begin to dry out. At the beginning of summer, when flower buds are forming, watering is carried out up to twice a day. You should not spray the bushes so that the sun does not burn the leaves through drops of water.
Mulching will help conserve moisture and also protect against many pesky weeds. From time to time you will still have to weed the astilbe thickets to make them look more well-groomed. This must be done with caution so as not to damage the roots.
In mid-spring, the flowerbed is fertilized with a mineral composition with a high nitrogen content. It will speed up the development of greenery. In June, preference is given to potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, which promote more abundant flowering.
After flowering is completed, multi-colored brushes are left on the plant for some time, as they are very decorative. Later they are cut off. The green thickets will delight you with their beauty for a long time. By mid-autumn they will also begin to dry out, then all shoots down to the ground are cut off and the area is mulched with fallen leaves. It will protect the roots from frost. Plants planted only in autumn are additionally covered with spruce branches.
Astilbe is ideal for landscaping. It is planted in groups or in a strip pattern along borders, near evergreen shrubs and trees, and also as a lower tier under deciduous trees. The variety of shades of inflorescences and plant heights allows you to create a unique bright composition in the shady corners of the garden. In sunnier areas, it is recommended to combine astilbe with fern, hosta or iris, which will create additional shade and prevent the roots from overheating.
Iberis, bathwort, doronicum, saxifrage, jasmine, and sedum are usually planted close to astilbe. Lush and bright inflorescences, which retain their beauty even after drying, are often used by florists to create live and dry bouquets.
If you are a true fan of floriculture and lovingly grow plants in your garden, then you must often face the problem of identifying the type of plants. Some of them are similar to each other, like twin brothers, for example, Volzhanka and Astilbe. How to distinguish them from each other?
Inflorescences
First of all, it is worth knowing that the inflorescences come in different shades: white, cream, pink, lilac, red and burgundy. Every year a lot of new interesting varieties appear, differing in the color of the inflorescences and the type of leaves.
Volzhanka can only be white.
Astilbe has a much wider choice of inflorescence shapes.
There are pyramidal, rhombic, paniculate and graceful drooping inflorescences. The petals themselves can be short or long. This creates an openwork effect in the first case and a fluffy effect in the second.
Flowering period
In general, Volzhanka blooms before astilbe, but relying only on this sign when determining the type of plant is wrong. In some weather conditions, their flowering periods may coincide. The exception is late-summer varieties of astilbe, which bloom from August to September.
Height of flowers
The next major difference between Volzhanka and Astilbe is its height. An adult Volzhanka plant can reach a height of about 2 m, and in appearance it is impossible to resemble tall astilbe, which, in turn, has a maximum height of about 1 m. Accordingly, the inflorescence panicles of Volzhanka are larger and longer than those of astilbe.
Choice
Where to stop if you have to choose between Volzhanka and Astilbe?
In decorative terms, growing conditions and general care requirements, these plants are very similar to each other. But astilbe reproduces somewhat more easily, which means it is possible to create extensive flower beds and new compositions.
Biological certificate:
Volzhanka
Homeland: Northern Hemisphere
Family: Pink
Illumination: partial shade
Soil: moist and fertile
Watering: plentiful
Flowering: June-July
Height: up to 2 m
Reproduction: by dividing the bush
Astilbe
Homeland: East Asia, Japan and North America
Type: perennial herbaceous plant
Family: Saxifragaceae
Illumination: partial shade
Soil: moist and fertile
Watering: plentiful
Temperature range: cold-resistant
Flowering: June-July
Height: up to 1 m
Below are other entries on the topic “Do-it-yourself cottage and garden”
Astilbe - an ornamental shrub is valued for its long flowering time, a wide range of shades and shapes of inflorescences, for maintaining an interesting appearance even after the flowering period.
Astilbe Arends
Astilbe of this species has about forty varieties and is named after the breeder G. Arends, who bred it. These bushes grow up to a meter in height and have dark green leaves with a burgundy edge. Inflorescences come in two types: circular and cone-shaped. The colors of the inflorescences are cream, yellow and pink.
The medium-sized variety reaches up to a meter in height, has light green leaves and strong stems with soft lilac inflorescences. It is beautiful both as a single plant and in mixed plantings, in flower beds and flower beds.
A lush bush with lush green leaves, grows about a meter in height, blooms with diamond-shaped inflorescences of a soft pink hue. 
The leaves of this Ardens hybrid are juicy dark green with a brown tint. Grows up to 90 cm in height. Paniculate inflorescences are presented in all shades of red: from carmine to bright scarlet. Flowering lasts about 20-22 days.
The fluffy light lilac inflorescences of hyacinth at the beginning of flowering resemble a Christmas tree. The main color of the leaves is juicy green, the edges are brownish. It grows up to a meter in height and blooms for 14 days. 
This astilbe is dazzlingly white, which especially stands out against the green background of the leaves. The diamond blooms for about a month and will make an indelible impression on a green lawn among evergreen conifers.
Ruby grows up to 80 cm in height. It has strong, branched stems with green, tapering leaves. The inflorescences are lilac, pale in color, paniculate in shape. This variety combines with brighter flowers and is suitable as a frame for a flower bed.
This spectacular variety has an unusual color of stems and leaves: the stems are burgundy and the leaves are brown-red. Carmine inflorescences are no less beautiful. This variety can decorate any corner of the garden.
This tall astilbe has been known to gardeners since 1902. This is a perennial spreading bush with thin burgundy-colored stems. The green leaves look like feathery compositions.
The leaf blades appear wrinkled, the petioles and veins on them are brown. Astilbe David grows up to 1.5 meters in height. The inflorescences are not too lush, which is compensated by their bright pink color.
The inflorescences have the shape of an elongated pyramid with light fluff along the axis. The plant blooms in late July - early August and blooms for two weeks. At the end of flowering, seed pods are formed.
A small shrub that blooms with pale pink small flowers in late June - early July. Many gardeners admire the dwarf naked astilbe variety "Saxatilis", which grows to only 12 cm, and the diameter of the bush is no more than 15 cm. In the sun, its leaves cast bronze.
Astilbe chinensis
This species is quite tall - about 110 cm. Most hybrids of Chinese astilbe have dark red stems, patterned foliage, pubescent, and paniculate inflorescences. The inflorescences are presented in shades of pink, lilac, red, and sometimes white.
The brightest varieties:
- “Vision in Red” - red with purple (pictured);
- “Vision in Pink” – soft pink flowers;
- "Purpurlans" - purple inflorescences.
Important! Chinese astilbe is an aggressor: over time, its root system grows and crowds out its neighbors.
Astilbe simplefolia
This plant has drooping inflorescences, whole lush green and glossy leaves. The most popular varieties:
- “Bronze Elegance” - pink inflorescences with a bronze tint (pictured);
- "Straussenfider" - coral-colored flowers;
- "Preacox Alba" - with white tassels.
Attention! When planting a variety of simple-leaved astilbe in the garden, ensure timely moisture of the soil, especially during the dry period, since the plant does not tolerate a lack of moisture.
Astilbe Thunberg
A perennial shrub grows up to 80 cm in height. Its distinctive feature is its glossy, oval-shaped leaves with brown edges. The inflorescences of Thunberg hybrids are long - up to 25 cm, in the shape of a drooping brush. At our latitudes, two varieties take root:
"Professor van der Wielen" (height - 105 cm, white inflorescences),
"Straussnfeder" (pink brushes), this variety is shown in the photo.
Astilbe japonica
Japanese hybrids have different heights - from 40 cm to 1 meter. Lacy leaves have colors from light green to red-brown tones. Lush inflorescences come in a wide variety of colors. These plants are beautiful in single plantings, and the brightest of them can be the center of the composition.
A low variety, does not grow up to half a meter. The leaves are openwork, light green in color. The inflorescences are large, up to 15 cm, crimson in color.
Half-meter neat bushes with white inflorescences reminiscent of the snow-covered tops of Christmas trees.
Did you know? Residents of China have used astilbe leaves as medicine since ancient times; the Chinese and Japanese still prepare seasonings from astilbe leaves.
King Alfred
With proper care, the bush grows up to 70 cm. Delicate white inflorescences look organic against the green background of foliage.
For those who like to decorate their garden with a variety of flowers and plants, it is extremely important to use every corner of it to ensure that the resulting composition is holistic and harmonious. There are no problems with sunny areas, but what about those where the sun rarely hits? Especially for such a case, a shade-loving, unpretentious plant is ideal, which will become a worthy decoration even in the most sophisticated garden. We're talking about Astilbe. Today you will learn about the main varieties and types of this plant, and you will also be able to familiarize yourself with their detailed description (photos attached).
Astilbe: a brief description of the plant
Astilbe is a beautiful perennial plant that grows mainly in countries with a monsoon climate (in particular, in Asia - China, Japan, etc.). Astilbe is not large in size. The plant has a straight, fairly strong stem, a dense rhizome, and triple-pinnate leaves that are firmly attached to the basal petioles.
Astilbe inflorescences have a panicle-like structure and are distinguished not only by their delicate color, but also by their aroma. They are located mainly at the top of the stem and have a length from 20 to 60 cm.
Flowerbed with astilbe
Astilbe flowers can be colored in a wide variety of shades of red, purple and white. The leaves of the plant are quite large, lush, forming a beautiful dense bush. Depending on the weather, season and variety, the leaves also have a fairly rich range of colors. So, they can be presented not only in the standard green palette, but also in various shades of burgundy, bronze and even metallic shades.
The plant blooms for a fairly short time (only about 2 weeks) in the summer. Typically, astilbe begins to bloom no earlier than the end of June. It loves moisture very much, so it needs frequent and regular watering. But astilbe does not like a lot of light, so partial shade is quite suitable for growing it.
Main classification
The classification of astilbe is quite complex. This is primarily due to the fact that a fairly wide range of gardeners, landscape designers and simply collectors of unusual plants are interested in its cultivation. This means that the varieties of the plant must be classified in such a way that its planting can be carried out in an optimal way.
So, astilbe is classified into 3 main groups depending on the characteristics of its structure and the size of the bush.
The height of the plant is:
Astilbe tolerates shade well
- Dwarf - its height rarely exceeds 25-30 cm.
- Low - maximum height reaches 0.6 m.
- Medium - plant height ranges from 0.6 to 0.9 m.
- Tall - plants represented in this group exceed 1 m in height.
Depending on the timing of flowering, astilbe varieties can be divided into 3 groups: early, middle, late. Since the plant blooms exclusively in summer, the flowering time of the first is June, the second is July, and the third is August, respectively.
Astilbe inflorescences are also quite diverse in their shape. They can be:
- Pyramidal. The inflorescence appears suitably pyramid-shaped, tapering proportionally towards the apex. The lateral branches deviate from the main stem at right angles.
- Rhombic. Outwardly they are similar to pyramidal ones, but the lateral branches do not narrow as they approach the apex, but only deviate from it at a right angle.
- Drooping. They got their name due to the fact that they gracefully hang downwards on a thin flexible stem that cannot hold the lush inflorescence straight.
- Paniculaceae. The inflorescences, as in the previous versions, are represented by lateral branches, deviating from the main stem at a right angle, but at the same time growing quite densely.
Popular varieties
More than a hundred years after astilbe was developed, about 200 varieties of this beautiful plant have been cultivated. Among them, several can be particularly highlighted. They will be discussed further.
Astilbe japonica
A fairly compact plant, the height of which usually does not exceed 0.8 m. The leaves of the variety are quite modest in size, have a shiny smooth surface, covered with intricate beautiful patterns. The inflorescences of Japanese Astilbe bloom for quite a long time and, even after drying, decorate the garden until late autumn.
Astilbe japonica
This variety has been cultivated for more than 150 years. It takes root well and withstands adverse weather conditions.
Advice. For those who would like to grow astilbe near a pond or mixboxer, Japanese astilbe may be the ideal option, since it is not at all afraid of excess moisture.
Japanese Astilbe is a winter-hardy variety, so it doesn’t even need to be covered during the cold season.
Astilbe Chinese
Varieties of this variety can be either dwarf (only about 15 cm in height) or quite tall (about 1 m). Tall varieties bloom mainly in the summer (from June to August), and short ones - exclusively in late summer - early autumn.
Astilbe chinensis
In tall varieties, the inflorescence is quite lush, paniculate, reaching 30-35 cm in length. The leaves of Chinese astilbe bushes are quite large, rich green in color, with an openwork border and veins covered with red.
The Chinese hybrid, unlike the Japanese one, does not like shade and moisture at all, and therefore is perfect for sunny, well-warmed areas. At the end of summer, lush inflorescences – “candles” – appear on the flower stalks.
Astilbe Amethyst
The plant is a representative of the Arends variety, which has more than 40 different varieties. Almost all varieties from this category of astilbe are represented by fairly powerful spherical/pyramidal-shaped bushes with lush bright inflorescences of various shades of red, purple and white.
Astilbe Amethyst
Amethyst is one of the most popular varieties of Arends astilbe. Presented as medium-sized bushes with purple/lilac flowers and large bright green (sometimes brownish) leaves.
Astilbe Straussenfeder
The plant belongs to the Thunberg group. The bushes are quite dense and have a decorative appearance. The leaves have a fairly smooth structure and are dark green in color. The drooping inflorescences of this variety are quite large (can reach 20-25 cm in length). They have a rich coral color. The bushes reach 1 m in height.
Astilbe Straussenfeder
The plant loves shady places with moist, light soil. Great for landscaping various areas. Planted as an additional monogroup in the garden, near a pond, etc.
Advice. This variety can be used as an elegant addition to coniferous plantings.
Astilbe Montgomery
Astilbe Montgomery was bred on the basis of Japanese, so it is often called Astilbe Japanese Montgomery. The plant is presented in the form of a spreading bush about 0.7-0.8 m high. The leaves of the variety are quite long - some can reach 40 cm in length, smooth, with a glossy surface.
Despite its significant growth, the plant has rather small flowers, which nevertheless form very lush and beautiful inflorescences of delicate coral and brown color.
Astilbe Montgomery
Astilbe
- perennial flowering plant. There are over 30 species in the genus, distributed in East Asia, Japan and North America. In Russia, 2 species are found (in the Far East and Kunashir Island) - in deciduous forests, along the banks of streams, in places where moisture is retained in the summer. About 10 species and about 300 varieties are grown in culture.
Height depends on the type and variety: low - 15-60 cm, medium - 60-80 cm and high - 80-200 cm.
Leaves numerous basal, on long petioles, twice or thrice pinnate, less often simple, dark green or reddish green, jagged.
Flowers small, collected in apical inflorescences-panicles. All natural types of astilbe with white or purple flowers. Thanks to selective breeding, modern varieties can be all shades of pink, red, lilac and purple, there are cream, silver-white, indigo and salmon, not just yellow and blue.
Inflorescences pyramidal, rhombic, paniculate and drooping shapes.
Flowering by timing
: early (late June - early July), middle (July) and late (August). Delicate inflorescences do not lose their attractiveness for a month.
Growing conditions
Light Sparse shade or shading during the hottest part of the day. Many modern varieties also do well in open sun: they bloom brighter, but for less duration.
Moisture Does not tolerate drought, some species can grow in places with high groundwater. The soil under the astilbes should not dry out! This is the most important, and perhaps the only strict condition regarding agricultural technology.
The soil Fertile soil with mulching so that the soil and the upper part of the rhizome do not dry out or overheat.
Fertilizers Demanding on phosphorus and potassium.
Preparing for winter
The leaves can be cut off in the fall or left until spring. If you cut the leaves, add compost on top: the astilbe rhizome grows upward and gradually becomes exposed, due to this it freezes, dries out, and as a result does not produce
new adventitious roots, and the plant has no strength left to flower.
The best varieties of astilbe: classic and modern
According to one version, the name of the plant comes from the merger of two words: “a” - without and “stilbe” - shine. Scottish botanist Lord Hamilton, who in 1825 described a new plant species - riverine astilbe ( Astilbe rivularis), was not too impressed by its appearance, and perhaps in this way simply described the lack of shine in the leaves and inflorescences of riverine astilbe, which, compared to modern varieties, is rather unsightly in appearance. In any case, Hamilton brought several specimens with him from China to Europe, where astilbe was initially grown not as a garden plant, but as a cut plant.
French botanist Emile Lemoine was the first to see a great future for astilbe and achieved success in breeding new varieties. For crossing, he used Japanese astilbe, Thunberg and one of the first astilbe varieties Floribunda (A. astilboides Floribunda), bred by a Belgian M. Desbois(M. Debois) even before 1895. Later this variety was used by many breeders. Currently, Lemoine is the most widely grown of all varieties. Rubella, Gerbe de Neige, Mont Blanc, Plumet Neigeux.
Following Emile Lemoine, a German scientist became seriously interested in astilbe Georg Arends. Under his leadership, 84 cultivated varieties of plants were bred, flowering periods and color palette were expanded. He actively worked on the shape of the inflorescences, the size and shape of the bush itself. In the 1920s, he created the "Gemstones" series featuring David's astilbe ( A. japonica x A. Davidii) - now this is a classic, which includes varieties such as Diamond with snow-white flowers, Amethyst- purple with lilac-
pale shade, Granat with dark red flowers. Also in the 20-30s, he presented a series of miniature astilbes, including Liliput and Perkeo. And this list can be continued endlessly: no one doubts that it was Arends and Lemoine who helped astilbe take a strong place in our gardens and hearts.
in the photo: Astilbe curly Lilliput
After the death of Arends, astilbe was forgotten for some time, and it received a second birth already in the 60s. At the end of the last century, gardeners from Lithuania paid much attention to astilbe; a large collection is located in the Botanical Garden of Vilnius University. Now new varieties are being actively developed in Holland ( Harrie Verduin, Jan Verschoor).
Scientists paid special attention to cultivars adapted for growing in sunny areas: Stand and Deliver, Milk and Honey.
An interesting group that appeared already in the 21st century is the series Younique
, which includes varieties with purple (Younique Lilac, synonym Verslilac), light purple ( Younique Cerice, synonym Verscerise), pink ( Younique Silver Pink, synonym Versilverypink) and carmine inflorescences ( Younique Carmine, synonym Verscarmine).
Their advantage is the lush flowering in early July and the delicacy of the inflorescences. And most importantly, the peduncle is so short that during flowering it seems as if the flowers are hovering above the leaves.
Another interesting series with the participation of A. Chinese - Vision
. Plants with a compact bush (up to 50 cm) and dense paniculate inflorescences with bright purple ( Vision), pink ( Vision in Pink), white (Vision in White) and purple ( Vision in Red) coloring. Varieties from the series are characterized by an even more compact bush Little Vision: Little Vision in Pink, Little Vision in Purple, during the flowering period the height of the bush reaches only 30-40 cm.
For a long time, astilbe selection followed the path of improving the quality of inflorescences and habit, but breeders do not stand still, and foliage finally came into their sphere of interest: Color Flash with tricolor foliage (first bright green, gradually turning into rich red and then purple). Variety Color Rash Ume gained popularity with its golden color, but, unfortunately, its character let us down. It is quite capricious, and it blooms late - in August-September.
If we continue to talk about unique modern astilbes, we need to mention such varieties as Hip Hop with white petals and red stamens or Peaches and Cream, in which the buds are light pink, and the newly opened flowers are dark pink.
in the photo: astilbe Verswhite and Verssalmon
Full classification of astilbe
Most often in gardens and stores there are varieties of five main groups: Arends hybrids (1st group), hybrid astilbes (5th group), Japanese hybrids (6th group), Lemoine hybrids (7th group) and Thunberg hybrids (11th group).
In total, about 300 varieties of astilbe are known, which are divided into 12 groups depending on their origin:
I - Arends hybrids (A. x arendsii). Combines hybrids obtained with the participation of David, Japanese, Thunberg and Chinese astilbe. Plants 80-100 cm high with purple-lilac inflorescences.
II - hybrids a. astilboides (Astilboides hybrida). Composed of old varieties, for example, E. Lemoine: Blondine, Koningin Wilhelmina, Lord Salisbury and variety M. Debois Floribunda.
III - hybrids a. Chinese (A. chinensis). All representatives of this group are short and suitable for planting in rock gardens. Widespread Finale, Intermezzo, Serenade.
IV - hybrids a. curly (A. crispa) or fringed hybrid astilbe: miniature plants with strongly dissected leaves. The group is largely formed from Arends varieties: Daumling Gnom, Kobold, Liliput, Perkeo, Elata.
V - astilbe hybrids (A. x hybrida), not included in other groups . The largest group, here are just a few of its representatives: America, Avalanche, Gloria Purpurea, Koning Albert, Rubella, Hildegard and others.
VI - Japanese hybrids (Japonica Hybrida). Early flowering low compact plants (30-50 cm tall). The creator of the first varieties of this group was also Georg Arends.
VII - Lemoine hybrida. Old varieties, about 20 in total. The most famous: Gerbe de Neige, Mont Blanc, Plumet Neigeux.
VIII - pink hybrids (Rosea Hybrida) . There are only 2 Arends varieties in the group: Peach Blossom and Queen Alexandra. In 1904 they were awarded a gold medal at the London Exhibition.
IX - grades a. simple-leaved (A. simplicifolia). The group includes 15 Arends varieties ( Altrorosea, Delicata, Dunkelachs, Salmonea and others) and one variety of E. Pagel ( Aphrodite). New variety - Pink Lightning with a soft pink, airy inflorescence.
X - Take astilbe (A. taquetii or A. chinensis taquetii). There are few varieties, the most famous is Superba.
XI - Thunberg astilbes (Thunbergii Hybrida). About 100 cm high, the inflorescence is loose and branched. Most famous Prof. van der Wielen, Straussenfeder.
XII - hybrids of naked astilbe (A. glaberrima Hybrida). The group includes low (up to 20 cm) astilbes. Interesting low grade Saxatilis for alpine slides.
Forms of astilbe inflorescences
Pyramidal- the lateral branches of the inflorescences extend from the main axis almost at a right angle and evenly decrease from the base to the apex of the inflorescence.
Example: Rhythm and Blues- bright pink inflorescence, bush height 65-70 cm.
Rhombic- inflorescences resemble a diamond. The lateral branches extend from the main axis at an acute angle. Rhombic inflorescences are more common in Japanese astilbe varieties.
Example: America- light purple inflorescence, bush height 70 cm.
Paniculata- inflorescences have numerous branched branches extending from the main axis at an acute angle and uniformly decreasing towards the apex.
Example: Delft Lace- pink inflorescences on red petioles. The leaves are burgundy in early spring, blue-green by mid-summer, the height of the bush is 60-90 cm.
drooping- inflorescences with flexible drooping branches. These are characteristic of varieties descended from Astilbe Thunberg and Lemoine.
Example: Straussenfeder- pink coral inflorescences, bush height 80 cm.
Forcing astilbe
For forcing, young two- or three-year-old plants are used, preferably from the group of Japanese hybrids. The bushes are dug up at the end of September and planted in pots in a fertile, light substrate. Pots with planted plants are placed in greenhouses or buried in the garden, covered with lutrasil on top. Plants need to go through a cooling period to flower. To get flowers by March, at the end of December the pots are moved to a cool place (+10 ° C) and slowly begin to be watered. When after 2-3 weeks the plant wakes up and begins to grow, it is transferred to a warmer and brighter room (+20 ° C). Watering is increased. In about a month and a half, the bush will delight you with its flowering. If necessary, flowering can be accelerated by treating the leaves with stimulant preparations.
After forcing, astilbe can be planted back into the ground in the spring.
Useful properties of astilbe
In modern official medicine, preparations from astilbe are not used, its beneficial properties have been little proven, and the range of applications is quite narrow. It is believed to have an antipyretic and tonic effect. Therefore, it is most often recommended for use by people whose bodies are depleted by stress or illness, using roots and leaves. Infusion and decoction of the leaves can be used for kidney diseases, in the postoperative period, and for rheumatic joint pain. Recommended for colds, viral and infectious diseases as an antipyretic.
In China and Japan, astilbe foliage is used to prepare seasoning for meat dishes. Leaves are stored only during the flowering period, roots - in early spring, when the barely grown plant indicates its location, or in autumn, when the above-ground part has already died off.
Unfortunately, the chemical composition of astilbe has not yet been sufficiently studied, so it is quite difficult to predict all the possible consequences of its use.
Use in garden design
With such a variety of colors and shapes of inflorescences, as well as plants that vary greatly in height, designers have a huge opportunity. In spring and autumn, the flower garden is decorated with its graceful openwork leaves, and in summer - flowers. Astilbe does not need to be covered with other plants to hide imperfections, tied to a support and trimmed as it fades. What an interesting collection you can collect by creating your own unique garden! The flowering period of various varieties is from late June to September. If desired, you can select varieties so that astilbes bloom in the garden almost all summer.
This plant is absolutely self-sufficient, so the first use is solo. Shady flower beds made up of different varieties of astilbe look amazing, where tall varieties stand in the background, and miniature ones like Liliput line them up from below. With the help of astilbe, you can decorate tree trunks in an orchard, a coastline, and create a composition with decorative flowering perennials and cereals.
Joint plantings with early-flowering bulbous plants are very good: it grows quite late, and in the spring a place in the flower garden can be given to daffodils, muscari, scillas, crocuses or snowdrops. But then the regrown astilbe foliage will cover the empty, unsightly places left after their flowering.
Border plantings are very popular - for such flower beds it is better to choose varieties with dense vertical inflorescences. Astilbe Thunberg is more appropriate in natural, natural gardens using perennials that prefer slight shading: hosta, darmer, buzulnikov, ferns, volzhanka.
The combination of astilbe with hostas, which additionally shade their inflorescences with their greenery and emphasize the delicacy of the foliage, is very popular. Low coniferous plants can be used for the same purpose.
Modern low-growing varieties of astilbe, resistant to sun and drought, are recommended for container planting, for example, the group of Dutch selection Younique with a bush height of about 20-30 cm. The plants can withstand rain, wind and high temperatures up to +35 ° C.
Caring for astilbe and features of its reproduction
Astilbe is the dream of any gardener: unpretentious, frost-resistant, durable (it grows in one place for up to 10-15 years) and decorative from May to October, practically does not get sick and is not damaged by pests.
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Photo Yulia Astanovitskaya, Anna Bershadskaya, Oksana Kapitan, Joseph Kaurov, Shutterstock/TASS
Thank you for providing the photos. Evgenia Sapunova, private botanical garden “Dragon Garden”, www.saddrakona.ru