ASTILBES

question? do Astilbes get "suckers" like on rose bushes? i have 2 and one of them has an stem which is much thicker, than the restdark red and furry. if so, do i just cut it away? any advice on care of astilbes would be greatly appreciated.

 

Astilbes are herbaceous plants which like sun and moist soil. Any thicker stems will be exactly the same as all other stems on the plant. If it is markedly different, is it from the plant? OR, it could be a fasciated stem. This is where two or more stems become joined together as a result of damage to the growing tip. It is not persistent and when the stem dies down, it does not reappear.
Rather than paying large sums of money for named plants I grew mine from seed and have a good range of colours from it.

 

I agree with Palustris, Old plants can get a very woody centre and they also trap weed seeds which can germinate in the thatch. They are pretty and elegant plants and tough as nails so do great in any sunny exposed site. Generally they prefer acid soils but aren't that fussy. they will also cope with semi-bog conditions

Astilbes do better if divided every few years and any dead looking woody material discarded. It's also a good time to get the roots cleaned of any traces of couch grass, ground elder or other nasties. If you do it after flowering it also helps to move them to another site as it will help keep them free of overwintering chafer grub or vine weevil which will starve if they can't reach a new victim plant

[ 19. May 2006, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

Steve, if it is going out sideways it sounds like a runner. This is a way that Astilbes grow in size. They throw out a runner sideways, which goes out 6 inches to a foot from the main plant, it then sends down roots of its own and grows stems. You now have a new plant. Leave it for several months to get established, and then if you wish you can sever the connecting runner, dig up your plantlet and move it to another part of the garden. Division like this is best done in early spring. That way you buy one plant and a couple of years later you can have 10.

 

thanks to all for the great advise, i now know that i can leave and see what happens without doing any harm to the main plant