Astilbe chinensis var. pumila

Dwarf Chinese astilbe quickly spreads to form an attractive mat of red-green, fern-like foliage. Quite unlike its relatives, this astilbe blooms in September and tolerates full sun and temporary drought. Lilac-pink flower panicles are held upright on short stems. Flowers dry beautifully on the stems and remain attractive through winter.

Easy to grow in sun to part shade in moist to average soil. Will tolerate periods of drought.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society.

Zones: 3 to 8
Family: Saxifragaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 9 to 12 in.
Spread: 9 to 12 in.
Exposure: part-shade, light shade
Soil Conditions: avoid lime, dry, well-drained, average
Bloom Time: August to September
Bloom Color: Lilac-pink
Native Range: Russia, China and Korea

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (flowers) Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (foliage) AfroBrazilian, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons