Astilbe ( Astilbe x arendsii ) is a 1 1/2- to 3 - ft - tall unfolding recurrent plant . assortment such as ' Fanal ' have lacy immature leafage and deep red feather - shaped flowers . Other astilbe cultivar bloom in people of color ranging from blank to ping and lavender . Astilbes are ofttimes seen in umbrageous areas of the garden , where theygrow and spread in clumping cumulus .
Astilbes thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture flora hardiness zones 4 through 9 . They die back each wintertime season and are pruned in October to November . They bloom mid - leap to summer and turn brown and leafless when the weather turns cold in late summertime to decrease , concord to item-by-item hardiness zone condition .
These showy flowering perennialsattract butterfliesto the garden , tolerate cervid and rabbits , and have the strong husk need for use as slashed flowers . They do not have serious insect or disease problems .
Tip
astilbe tell you when it is time to rationalise them . They pop off back and turn altogether brown as they go into wintertime dormancy . Pruning in crepuscle gives them a cracking look and plenty of strain circulation for next year ’s growth .
garner the equipment you will use to set about the pruning job .
Things Needed
Pruning
Rake the dry foliage1 foot away to give a decipherable view for pruning . The dry leaf material can be left on the priming to decompose over winter . Make a crisp cutwith the pruning shear on each dry stalk 2 in above the plant base . Two inches is the approximate distance from the tip of the finger’s breadth to the first knuckle .
Rake awayand chuck out the undercut stalk . Clean the pruning shearswith live soapy water or an alcohol - soaked cloth . This prevents the potential feast of plant disease . The pruning job is now complete . If you look closely into the fundament of the plant life you may see that new emergence is already starting for next year . New development first look as hard green nubs between the juiceless stalks . The fresh trim plant will now have good air circulation and access to sunlight .
Return clean and sterilized garden shear to the garden shed or other insert area to forestall rust development . petroleum the geartrain mechanism yearly to keep smooth surgery .
Pruning your astilbe yearly does not preclude growth and feast of the knoll of belowground root . gardener at the Missouri Botanical Garden recommenddividing your perennial astilbe plants every 3 to 4 year . They are separate by root division in fall or early spring .
