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Astilbe

{{short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Astilbe arendsii1.jpg

|image_caption = Astilbe arendsii in flower

|taxon = Astilbe

|authority = Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = 28; see text

|subdivision_ref = [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:36952-1 Astilbe Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don]. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 13 April 2024.

|type_species = Astilbe rivularis

| type_species_authority = Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

|synonyms = Hoteia {{small|C.Morren & Decne. (1834)}}

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Astilbe {{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|s|t|ɪ|l|b|iː}}Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607 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.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}} Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spirea.

Species range from New Guinea, Java, Borneo, and the Philippines to Indochina, the Himalayas, China, Japan, and the Russian Far East, and to the southeastern United States.

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.{{cite journal |last1=O'Neill |first1=Alexander |display-authors=etal |date=2017-03-29 |title=Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas |url= |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |volume=13 |issue=21 |page=21 |doi=10.1186/s13002-017-0148-9 |pmc=5372287 |pmid=28356115 |doi-access=free }}

Species

28 species, and several natural hybrids, are accepted.

Cultivar groups

Commonly accepted cultivar groups are:

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

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  • 'Brautschleier' (Arendsii Group) - white{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Brautschleier'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/112600/Astilbe-Brautschleier-(%25C3%2597-arendsii)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • 'Bronce elegans' (Simplicifolia) - salmon pink{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Bronce Elegans'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/90688/Astilbe-Bronce-Elegans-(simplicifolia-hybrid)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • A. chinensis var. pumila - mauve{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe chinensis var. pumila|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/54603/Astilbe-chinensis-var-pumila/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Purpurlanze' - red/purple{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/112790/Astilbe-chinensis-var-taquetii-Purpurlanze/Details | title = A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Purpulanze' | publisher = RHS | access-date = 12 April 2020}}
  • A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Superba'{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89593/Astilbe-chinensis-var-taquetii-Superba/Details | title = A. chinensis var. taqueti 'Superba' | publisher = RHS | access-date = 12 April 2020}} - rose/mauve
  • 'Fanal' (Arendsii) - crimson{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Fanal'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95205/Astilbe-Fanal-(%25C3%2597-arendsii)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • A. glaberrima var. saxatilis - pink & white, prostrate{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe glaberrima var. saxatilis|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95706/Astilbe-glaberrima-var-saxatilis/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • 'Rheinland' (Japonica) - pale pink{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Rheinland'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/97102/Astilbe-Rheinland-(japonica-hybrid)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • A. simplicifolia{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe simplicifolia|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/1841/Astilbe-simplicifolia/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • 'Sprite' (Simplicifolia) - pale pink{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Sprite'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/93253/Astilbe-Sprite-(simplicifolia-hybrid)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • 'Straussenfeder' (Thunbergii) - pink{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Straussenfeder'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/94693/Astilbe-Straussenfeder-(thunbergii-hybrid)/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}
  • A. × crispa 'Perkeo' (pink){{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Astilbe 'Perkeo'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/98049/Astilbe-x-crispa-Perkeo/Details | access-date=15 April 2020}}

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Cultivation

There are three UK National Collections of Astilbe, held by:

  • Malcolm Pharoah at Marwood Hill Gardens in Marwood, near Barnstaple, North Devon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.marwoodhillgarden.co.uk/national-collections.html|title = National Plant Collections}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.floraldaily.com/article/9239527/uk-national-plant-collection-of-astilbe-yields-brickell-award-2020/|title=UK: National Plant Collection of Astilbe yields Brickell Award 2020|date=12 August 2020 }}
  • The Lakeland Horticultural Society at Holehird Gardens in Cumbria. {{Cite web |title=National Collection - Astilbe |url=https://holehirdgardens.org.uk/plants/national-collection-astilbe |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Holehird}}
  • The Royal Horticultural Society at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey (cultivars bred by Georg Arends).{{cite web |title=National Plant Collections |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plantsmanship/national-plant-collections |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=16 October 2023}}

References

{{Reflist|34em}}

External links

{{Commons}}

  • [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=102968 Flora of China: Astilbe]

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Category:Saxifragaceae genera