Horticulture/Astilbe

Astilbe is a genus of 18 species perennial, herbaceous flowering plants, within the family Saxifragaceae. Some species are commonly known as False Goat's Beard, and False Spirea. Astilbe species are native Asia and North America.

They are cultivated by gardeners as hardy herbaceous perennials, for their large handsome, often fern-like foliage, and dense, feathery plumes of flowers. They require a peaty soil for their successful cultivation. Numerous hybrids have been raised. The fruit is a 3-lobed capsule which separates into follicles when ripe.

Description
Clumping perennial herbs with basal and cauline leaves that are 2-3 ternate, with serrate margins. Flowers are tn terminal panicles, perfect or monecious, sepals and petals 4 or 5, stamens 8-10.

Growing conditions
Good garden soils in sun to dense shade.

Varieties
Species of Astilbe include:
 * Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britt.
 * Astilbe chinensis (Maxim.) Franch. & Sav.
 * Astilbe crispa (Arends) Bergmans
 * Astilbe grandis Stapf ex E. H. Wilson
 * Astilbe japonica (C.Morren & Decne.) A.Gray
 * Astilbe longicarpa (Hayata) Hayata
 * Astilbe macroflora Hayata
 * Astilbe microphylla Knoll
 * Astilbe microphylla var. riparia Hatus.
 * Astilbe platyphylla H. Boiss.
 * Astilbe rivularis Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don
 * Astilbe rivularis var. angustifoliolata H. Hara
 * Astilbe rivularis var. myriantha (Diels) J. T. Pan
 * Astilbe rubra Hook. f. & Thomson
 * Astilbe sikokumontana Koidz.
 * Astilbe simplicifolia Makino
 * Astilbe thunbergii (Siebold & Zucc.) Miq.
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. congesta H. Boissieu
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. fujisanensis (Nakai) Ohwi
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. hachijoensis (Nakai) Ohwi
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. kiusiana Hara
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. longipedicellata Hatus.
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. okuyamae (Hara) Ohwi
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. shikokiana (Nakai) Ohwi
 * Astilbe thunbergii var. terrestris (Nakai) Ohwi

Commonly accepted cultivar groups are:
 * Astilbe Arendsii Group
 * Astilbe Crispa Group
 * Astilbe Japonica Group
 * Astilbe Simplicifolia Group

Uses
Grown for their showy flowers and fern-like foliage.

Maintenance
Very easy to care for, requiring only to be cut back in spring before the new growth emerges

Propagation
Division.

Pests and diseases
Bacterial ../Leaf Spots/ ../Powdery Mildew/

../Leaf Spots/ ../Bugs/ ../Beetles/ ../Weevils/ ../Caterpillars/
 * ../Cercospora/
 * Tarnished Plant Bug: ../Lygus lineolaris/
 * Fourlined Plant Bug: ../Poecilocapsus lineatus/
 * Oriental Beetle: ../Exomala orientalis/
 * Black Vine Weevil: ../Otiorhynchus sulcatus/
 * Saddleback Caterpillar: ../Sibine stimulea/