Astilbe

Astilbe /əˈstɪlbiː/[1] is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America.[2] Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spirea.

Astilbe
Astilbe arendsii in flower
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Astilbe
Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Type species
Astilbe rivularis
Species

See text

These hardy herbaceous perennials are cultivated by gardeners for their large, handsome, often fern-like foliage and dense, feathery plumes of flowers. They are widely adapted to shade and water-logged conditions, hence they are particularly associated with pond-side planting. They also tolerate clay soils well. Numerous hybrid cultivars have been raised. Flowers of at least some Astilbe species have a strong and pleasant aroma. Some species, including Astilbe rivularis, are used in traditional medicine.[3]

Species

Species of Astilbe include:

  • Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britton ex Kearney – Appalachian false goat's beard[4]
  • Astilbe chinensis (Maxim.) Franch. & Sav.
  • Astilbe crispa (Arends) Bergmans
  • Astilbe glaberrima Nakai
  • Astilbe grandis Stapf ex E. H. Wilson – Korean false goat's beard[5]
  • 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 – false goat's beard[5]
  • Astilbe sikokumontana Koidz.
  • Astilbe simplicifolia Makino – entire-leaf false goat's beard[5]
  • 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

Cultivar groups

Commonly accepted cultivar groups are:

The following varieties and cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

  • 'Brautschleier' (Arendsii Group) - white[6]
  • 'Bronce elegans' (Simplicifolia) - salmon pink[7]
  • A. chinensis var. pumila - mauve[8]
  • A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Purpurlanze' - red/purple[9]
  • A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Superba'[10] - rose/mauve
  • 'Fanal' (Arendsii) - crimson[11]
  • A. glaberrima var. saxatilis - pink & white, prostrate[12]
  • 'Rheinland' (Japonica) - pale pink[13]
  • A. simplicifolia[14]
  • 'Sprite' (Simplicifolia) - pale pink[15]
  • 'Straussenfeder' (Thunbergii) - pink[16]
  • A. × crispa 'Perkeo' (pink)[17]

Cultivation

The UK National Collection of Astilbe is held by Malcolm Pharoah at Marwood Hill Gardens in Marwood, near Barnstaple, North Devon.[18][19]

References
  1. Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  2. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  3. O'Neill, Alexander; et al. (2017-03-29). "Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 13 (21): 21. doi:10.1186/s13002-017-0148-9. PMC 5372287. PMID 28356115.
  4. Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britton ex Kearney. Retrieved April, 15, 2021, from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, http://www.itis.gov.
  5. English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 367. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2016 – via Korea Forest Service.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Brautschleier'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  7. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Bronce Elegans'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  8. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe chinensis var. pumila". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  9. "A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Purpulanze'". RHS. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  10. "A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Superba'". RHS. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  11. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Fanal'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  12. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe glaberrima var. saxatilis". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  13. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Rheinland'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  14. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe simplicifolia". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  15. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Sprite'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  16. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Straussenfeder'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  17. "RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Perkeo'". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  18. "National Plant Collections".
  19. "UK: National Plant Collection of Astilbe yields Brickell Award 2020".
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