Astilbe

(False Goat's Beard) Chinensis Pumila

Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' is a dwarf astilbe with stiff, upright plumes in mauve pink held just above a dense mat of dark green, deeply cut leaves. It stays low at around 25-30 cm tall and spreads to 30-40 cm, creeping slowly on short runners to knit into a carpet. Plant 7-9 per square metre if you want it to close up as ground cover within two seasons. It flowers late, from August into September, when most other astilbes are already over, and bees work the plumes on warm days. It is the right choice for edging a shady border, filling awkward gaps under shrubs or softening the front of a woodland planting.

Give it partial shade or shade; it takes more sun than other astilbes but only where the soil never bakes dry. Plant in humus rich soil that stays lightly moist, improved with compost, and loosen heavy clay so water moves through rather than standing. Water through dry summer spells, especially in the first year while the runners establish; in a container the soil dries out much faster and needs checking every day or two in hot weather. Cut the old plumes and foliage back to ground level in late winter or very early spring, before the new growth pushes through. It is fully hardy in the ground and copes well with cold, wet winters.

Your order will be hand picked and packed in our strong and sustainable packaging as soon as possible, after which it will be delivered straight from our greenhouse to your door by your chosen carrier. You can follow the journey of your plants via the tracking link you receive in your mail. If you have any questions regarding your order and its shipment, you can get in contact with our support team.

We expect every order to arrive in tip-top shape. We take intensive care of the plants in our greenhouse and use special and as sustainable as possible protective packaging to ship our plants. We also wrote an extensive blog about how to unpack and prepare your plants for growth after shipping. However there are rare occasions where our plants don’t meet their full potential. That’s why all plants are guaranteed for 30 days after arrival, if still in its original nursery pot.