Sprite Dwarf Astilbe
Astilbe simplicifolia 'Sprite'
A new dwarf Astilbe, excellent for use as an edging plant and in foreground plantings. Feathery, soft, shell pink plumes are held above bronze green foliage in summer. A herbaceous perennial.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | a-STIL-bee sim-pli-ki-FO-lee-a |
| Key feature: | Shade Loving |
| Plant type: | Perennial |
| Garden styles: | Contemporary, Cottage |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Herbaceous |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 4 - 9 |
| Light needs: | Filtered sun |
| Sunset climate zones: | 1 - 7, 14 - 17, 32 - 45 |
| Water Needs: | Needs wet or constantly moist soil. |
| Average landscape size: | Foliage 1 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide. Flower spikes 15 to 18 in. tall. |
| Growth rate: | Moderate |
| Flower attributes: | Flowers for Cutting, Showy Flowers |
| Special features: | Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant, Dwarf Plant |
| Landscape uses: | Border, Container, Firescaping/Fire Wise, Very Wet Areas, Water Garden, Woodland Garden |
| Flower color: | Pink |
| Blooms: | Mid-summer |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 0353 |
| Retailers for this plant: |
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. For a neat appearance, remove old foliage before new leaves emerge. Divide clumps every 2 to 3 years in early spring.
Design Ideas
Dwarf astilbe is a natural edging but it can also be used in masses to intensify its color visibility. Add to perennial borders for front end interest. Incorporate into woodland compositions to provide textural variation.
Companion Plants
Provides beautiful contrast in front of the lustrously green shrub Himalayan Sarcococca (Saarcococca hookeriana humilis) with its fragrant white flowers, or alternated along a border with Bennerup Blue Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica Bennerup Blue).
History
This well known group falls into the Saxifrage family. Of the 14 or so species, most are from Asia, with a couple of North Americans. The earliest astilbes arrived from China to Paris via Jesuit missionaries, leading to early hybridization in that region and Germany rather than Britain. This plant is derived from A. simplicifolia, which is native to Japan and figures into the famous Arends hybrids of Europe. It is also known as star astilbe, and was botanically named and classified by Japanese Tomitaro Makino, in the early 20th century.
Lore
The genus was named from the Greek for without sheen or non-shining to describe the foliage.
A new dwarf Astilbe, excellent for use as an edging plant and in foreground plantings. Feathery, soft, shell pink plumes are held above bronze green foliage in summer. A herbaceous perennial.
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. For a neat appearance, remove old foliage before new leaves emerge. Divide clumps every 2 to 3 years in early spring.
Design Ideas
Dwarf astilbe is a natural edging but it can also be used in masses to intensify its color visibility. Add to perennial borders for front end interest. Incorporate into woodland compositions to provide textural variation.
Companion Plants
Provides beautiful contrast in front of the lustrously green shrub Himalayan Sarcococca (Saarcococca hookeriana humilis) with its fragrant white flowers, or alternated along a border with Bennerup Blue Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica Bennerup Blue).
History
This well known group falls into the Saxifrage family. Of the 14 or so species, most are from Asia, with a couple of North Americans. The earliest astilbes arrived from China to Paris via Jesuit missionaries, leading to early hybridization in that region and Germany rather than Britain. This plant is derived from A. simplicifolia, which is native to Japan and figures into the famous Arends hybrids of Europe. It is also known as star astilbe, and was botanically named and classified by Japanese Tomitaro Makino, in the early 20th century.
Lore
The genus was named from the Greek for without sheen or non-shining to describe the foliage.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | a-STIL-bee sim-pli-ki-FO-lee-a |
| Key feature: | Shade Loving |
| Plant type: | Perennial |
| Garden styles: | Contemporary, Cottage |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Herbaceous |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 4 - 9 |
| Light needs: | Filtered sun |
| Sunset climate zones: | 1 - 7, 14 - 17, 32 - 45 |
| Water Needs: | Needs wet or constantly moist soil. |
| Average landscape size: | Foliage 1 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide. Flower spikes 15 to 18 in. tall. |
| Growth rate: | Moderate |
| Flower attributes: | Flowers for Cutting, Showy Flowers |
| Special features: | Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant, Dwarf Plant |
| Landscape uses: | Border, Container, Firescaping/Fire Wise, Very Wet Areas, Water Garden, Woodland Garden |
| Flower color: | Pink |
| Blooms: | Mid-summer |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 0353 |
