Astilbe Varieties Guide: Types, Cultivars & Selection Tips

Your shade garden measures 12 inches in bloom height with dwarf varieties while neighbors reach 48 inches with tall selections. The difference? Strategic cultivar selection from five distinct astilbe groups produces dramatic height variations ranging from compact ground covers to towering back-border specimens[1][2]. Here’s how to navigate the astilbe variety landscape for your specific garden needs.

💡Master comprehensive astilbe cultivation from variety selection through seasonal maintenance with our complete astilbe guide for shade garden success.

Understanding Astilbe Diversity

Astilbe varieties give one of the most unique shade garden palettes. With the number of color combinations available in diversity is as varied as these, Astilbe varieties provide one of the most diversified ranges for shade gardens. These perennials produce feathery flower plumes in a color range of pure white to deep crimson flowers with blooms in a variety of shade garden types in a period of late spring to late summer from late spring to late summer depending on choice. The genus includes around 18 species and hundreds of named cultivars comprising named cultivars available for almost any shade garden case[2][3].

Five Major Species Groups

To understand the differences in variety, it is first necessary to identify our major species groups.

💡Explore detailed characteristics of each astilbe classification with our comprehensive major species groups guide including Arendsii, Japonica, and Chinensis distinctions.

Each group characterizes with distinct patterns of coloration as well as duration/quality, leaf texture and tolerance to environmental conditions.

The Arendsii Group

The Arendsii Group constitutes over 95% astilbe grown in North America, due to intricate crosses between species [8]. These hybrids are robust in diverse growing conditions and bloom times become dominated in early to mid-summer.

The Arendsii Group resulted from the breeding work of German scientist George Arends in the early 20th century.

The Japonica Group

The Japonica Group is distinguished by its early blooms and glossy green leaves, sometimes accompanied by glistening red leaves[8]. This group is typified by dense, pyramidal flower clusters and is perfect for gardening in the spring to early summer with color. Variations including the deep red ‘Montgomery’ flowers, have a strong impact in heavy shade[3].

Chinese Astilbe

Chinese astilbe, or Astilbe chinensis, blooms as late as late summer with deep, incised, coarsely textured leaves often with a bronze-green coloration[8]. This species exhibits moderate drought tolerance relative to other categories and can be grown in places where good moisture management is difficult. The thin branched panicles of Chinese astilbe plants set this group apart from the fuller plumes of other groups.

The Thunbergii Group

The Thunbergii Group includes late bloom hybrids with characteristic open, nodding clusters arranged on high stems above greenery with glaucous leaves[8]. Such varieties of the plants give rise to architectural interest in the graceful, arching flower forms.

The Simplicifolia Group

The Simplicifolia Group produces compact mounds with glossy, mid-green lobed leaves and not divided leaves. With such delicate looks, the flowers have very light and rounded panicles and typically need up to three years to develop.

Height Options: From Dwarf to Towering

The variation in height is one of the main selection factors.

💡Match cultivars to specific garden positions with our detailed varieties by height guide covering dwarf, medium, and tall selections for every border layer.

Dwarf Varieties

Dwarf types like “Perkeo” only grow up to 6 to 8 inches tall, shooting up to 10 inches of bloom[3]. These small selections are great for front-of-border placements, rock gardens, or containers.

Mid-Sized Selections

Mid-size varieties generally grow between 18 to 30 inches tall, which makes it suitable for mid-border placements. ‘Hennie Graafland’ is a prime example — 20 to 22 inches in bloom and pale pink floral[3].

Tall Statement Makers

The tall variety demand attention from back-end spots. ‘Purple Candles’ blooms up to 42 inches tall, and the pokerlike violet-red plumes add vertical interest[3]. And the tallest is ‘Mighty Pip,’ just 4 to 5 feet tall. With soft rose-colored flowers on red stems, this flower has a color to match the natural state and only achieves full stature in around three years[3][4].

Color Palette: White to Deep Red

Choice of color runs from pure white to pink, salmon, lavender and just plain deep red.

💡Select the perfect hue for your design scheme by exploring our complete varieties by color catalog including white, pink, red, and purple cultivar recommendations.

White Varieties for Illumination

White varieties add glowing touches. ‘Bridal Veil’ creates smooth vertical plumes of creamy white flowers that climb to 30 inches, and shiny green foliage reaches an area of 18 inches[2]. ‘Deutschland’ produces pure white blooms in early to midsummer, keeping their color clear yet never fading[7].

Pink Selections

Pink is the dominant color across astilbe offerings and they range from pale blush to bold fuchsia. ‘Sprite’ flowers – pink topped flowers that stand 12 inches tall – with multiseason coloration (bronze on leaf)[2][4]. ‘Peach Blossom’ flowers (pale pink) are considered pretty in spring/early summer and are 24 inches high with glossy divided leaves[2].

Red Varieties for Drama

The red ones make a statement in the shade. In the ‘Fanal’, one of the darkest red astilbe trees in the market, long slender spires of dark scarlet flowers grow 24 inches higher above bronze leaves, which appear during spring[1][2]. It will take the flowers from intense to visually appealing seed head during blooming. ‘Red Sentinel’ displays brilliant scarlet plumes over 24-inch stems in deep red colour extending into the stem structure[1].

Purple and Lavender Options

Purple, and also lavender selections may be unusual colors. Pumila is a 12–inch tall plant with lavender-purple flowers and, the spreading act of its flowers that it performs well as ground cover[1][4]. ‘Visions’ produces raspberry pink flowers on small plants, varying from 14 to 18 inches in bloom[2][3] with the added blessing of a fragrance that is peculiar among the astilbe varieties[2][3].

Foliage Characteristics

Beyond their bloom characteristics, however, the characteristics of foliage are highly influential in choosing a variety.

Ferns of most astilbe varieties have a dissected, fern-like foliage with foliage that is divided into tiny, light green to dark green. Bronze and chocolate tones lend dynamic contrast.

💡Discover selections that provide year-round interest beyond blooms with our varieties with ornamental foliage guide featuring bronze, chocolate, and variegated options.

‘Chocolate Shogun’ introduces true chocolate-maroon foliage requiring adequate sunlight to maintain deep coloring.

‘Chocolate Shogun’ adds true chocolate-maroon leafy with proper lighting to ensure that the foliage remains deep; shade too long causes them to return to muddy dark green[3]. Foliage appears in spring and is the first to appear perennially in the season, remaining aesthetic through the summer with sufficient moisture.

Bloom Time Coordination

Coordination of bloom times results in longer flowering periods. Early season hybrids ripened by mid-season and late spring, usually May in moderate climates.

The early season flowers are characterized by a predominate early blooming season, often beginning in late spring, with ‘Peach Blossom’ of Japonica Group as the largest of the early bloomers in early bloom times[2]. Midseason bloomers peak from June until July, the most numerous selection year. Varieties of late season maintain color in August and sometimes in early September, led by Chinese astilbe cultivars[8].

Bloom duration generally lasts 2 to 4 weeks per species since single individual flower plumes include hundreds of closely spaced small flowers which open up from bottom to top in succession[5]. Careful planting of the early, mid, and late-season varieties produces long-lasting bloom from late spring to late summer.

💡Extend flowering throughout the growing season with strategic varieties by bloom time including early, mid-season, and late cultivar selections.

Flower Form Variations

Flower morphology varied markedly from variety to variety:

• Dense, pyramidal plumes – Japonica and many Arendsii hybrids
• Open, airy panicles – Simplicifolia varieties with visible florets
• Narrow, pokerlike spires – Chinese astilbe cultivars
• Nodding, cascading clusters – Thunbergii varieties

This structural variance makes it possible for gardeners to add several textures to the shade garden.

Growth Habits and Spacing

Spacing and design placement are influenced by growth habit. Tight, contained growth is maintained through clump-forming varieties which needs to be divided every 3-4 years to maintain robustness. Spreading varieties, ranging from the rhizome-expanding ‘Pumila’, can be used as ground cover applications, but need more space, such as space or division in a regular interval to prevent overcrowding.

Regional Suitability and Hardiness

Hardiness zones establish regional appropriateness. Very few in the astilbe sub-species are able to perform well enough to maintain shade in zone 8, but a number of other cultivar combinations (different from one-season to five-season) of astilbe grow[9].

Low to moderate cold hardiness is seldom a limitation of astilbe farming, as well-rooted varieties can generally grow to -30°F – with significant difficulty with heat tolerance, such as being able to tolerate zone 9, without enough moisture and shade in the afternoon.

Sun and Shade Tolerance

The sun tolerance differs by variety, and Chinese astilbe cultivars perform better when sun shines than other types of astilbe[3]. They are sun-dependent and their preferred sun exposure is mainly partial shade. In very active northern climates where summers tend to cool down a lot, many varieties will tolerate open sun as long as the soil stays moist until the sun sets. Southern gardens need additional shade — especially for afternoon protection.

Environmental Tolerances

Drought Tolerance

Tolerance for drought is an important selection factor. Although no astilbe species can survive dry conditions, Chinese astilbe varieties generally survive the effects of occasional dampness more effectively than the other groups[8]. This feature makes them suitable for areas below tree canopies and locations difficult for consistent irrigation. Other species groups need consistent moisture, and when dry, the leaves margins brown and few flowers grow.

Quality of foliage during summer relies on moisture. Best watered plants display green leafy-green foliage from spring to fall, with some types flowering into beautiful bronze or red in the fall. Drought stressed plants mature leaf margins turning red and grey, brittle brown, while decline in overall appearance is observed, revealing that immediate watering is necessary to the extent that they need water to thrive (“red” was a term coined for an emergent change).

Selecting by Garden Position

Compact Varieties for Containers

Compact plant systems such as container plants, rock gardens, and the front fence-line look good. Hennie Graafland thrives in a light shade that carries few pests or diseases, so its locations are relatively easy to position on a platform[3].

Medium Heights for Borders

Medium-height species can be installed at mid-point border positions for mass planting purposes and offer practical benefits. ‘Montgomery’ stands 18 to 20 inches tall with its dramatic magenta-red plumes set high over green foliage that emerges bronze-red in spring[3]. The effect of this full bloom mass planting is striking, visible from a great distance.

Tall Cultivars for Drama

Tall varieties give building an architectural thrill and rear-frequented drama. At 42 inches in bloom, “Purple Candles” is violet-red with age[3]. The statuesque spires are quite strong statements, and Chinese astilbe genetics allow greater sun and heat tolerance than most other tall selections.

Disease Resistance and Wildlife

The resistance to disease is high among most type of astilbe. These perennials tend not to get significantly affected by pests and diseases, so are likely to be low maintenance. Their deer and rabbit resistance is a bonus for gardens that have wildlife browsing issues[5]. Slug and snail damage is seldom observed in astilbe and not by much of the other shade perennial flowers.

Companion Planting Ideas

Astilbe’s fine texture and vertical flower structures offer numerous opportunities for companion planting:

• Hostas – Large-leaved contrast to ferny astilbe foliage
• Ferns – Similar textures with different growth habits
• Ligularia – Bold foliage complements delicate plumes
• Spring bulbs – Sequential interest as bulbs finish before astilbe emerges
• Heuchera – Colorful foliage layers beneath astilbe stems

The ferny leaves make for impressive color contrasts to bigger leaved shade plants such as hostas and ligularia.

The similar textures and contrast are highlighted when planting astilbe alongside ferns, different growth styles help limit competition. Early spring bulbs, such as daffodils, develop at an earlier stage than astilbe foliage is fully develop so a certain amount of interest is produced sequentially.

Mass Planting Strategies

Mass planting gives the largest dramatic impact. Plantings with three or 5 of the same type create a visual consistency which allows plants to spread naturally in designated spatial space[6]. Mixing varieties by height forms a layered effect, from dwarf selections in the front, mid-sized varieties in the middle and tall cultivars in the back.

Color coordination or contrast is determined by design temperament, monochrome plantings allow subtle restraint while mixed colors lend a splash of chompes and boos to cottage garden exuberance.

Site-Specific Selection

Mapping variety characteristics to site realities helps select for specific garden conditions:

• Wet areas near ponds – Almost all varieties thrive
• Dry shade under trees – Chinese astilbe cultivars excel
• Deep shade – Limits flowering but provides foliage display
• Morning sun, afternoon shade – Perfect compromise for most cultivars

The perfect compromise for most cultivars is morning sun with afternoon shade.

Cut Flower and Dried Arrangements

The use of cut flowers extends the value of astilbe beyond the garden. Fresh flowers will keep good and last a good long time in arrangements and attract dried seedheads for fall displays. Varieties with strong, upright stems, such as the ‘Fanal’ one, are most preferable for cutting[2]. It opens Winter interest and also gives habitats wildlife in winter, letting some flowers dry on the ground naturally.

The Arends Legacy

The German scientist George Arends was the first to produce a species of astilbe crops in the early 20th century, thanks to his breeding work. His crosses of Asian and North American species vastly expanded the number of plant forms, colors, and sizes available in the landscape[6]. Most popular varieties now bear his name or fall under the Arendsii Group he created, a testament to his enduring impact on shade garden design.

Modern Introductions

Newer introductions keep expanding varieties’ range. In addition, in zones 4 to 9, Younique series, compact plant with durable growth are included and they grow 16 to 20 inches tall and carry a 14 to 18 inch spread[2]. Having variety of color palette provides simplified planned plantings. These disease-tolerant cultivars work well in various growing conditions.

Making Your Final Selection

Your choice between varieties of astilbe, in the end is all about weight up, color preference, bloom time preference and site conditions.

Dwarf varieties also occupy spaces in rock gardens and container plantings where space constrains growth. Most border situations, moderate-sized selections offer workhouse reliability in mid-sized selections. Included for back-border locations and screening reasons, tall varieties give architects drama.

And early bloomers carry spring color into early summer, midseason varieties peak during more traditional summer months and late selections fill in the difference into fall. White blooms capture this deep shade, pink adds softness, red looks bring bold touches, and purple leaves add odd nuances of color.

Chinese astilbe cultivars thrive on drier or sunnier areas, while other communities thrive on consistently moist or shade-rich habitats. It’s learning which variation makes the difference between success and failure for you on your garden and your local environment that will allow you, year on year, to achieve the benefit of reliable shade garden performance.

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Key Sources:

[1] 19 Different Types of Beautiful Astilbe Varieties | Epic Gardening
[2] 15 of the Best Astilbe Varieties | Gardener’s Path
[3] 12 Brilliant Astilbes | Fine Gardening
[4] Astilbe | Chicago Botanic Garden
[5] Mid-Season Astilbe Varieties For Your Garden | Gardenia.net
[6] Learn All About Astilbe | American Meadows
[7] Explore Cornell – Flower Growing Guides
[8] Astilbe Groups | Walters Gardens
[9] How to Grow and Care for Astilbe | Clemson HGIC