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dorothy4981

Gardenweed, can you speak Astilbe?

dorothy4981
12 years ago

Eileen, I have seen pictures of your Astilbe seedlings and would appreciate it if you could answer a question. In the process of researching Astilbe I have read that it is not worth the three year wait to see blooms. I love Astilbe, have some that are now going to seed and want to know if I should harvest or not. Does it really take three years to bloom?

TIA

Dorothy (Meadows)

Comments (6)

  • gardenweed_z6a
    12 years ago

    meadows - I'm sorry to be the bearer of news you aren't going to like but at the rate my WS astilbe are growing, I'm guessing it will be at least 3 years before they grow large enough to bloom. They're lush, healthy and not much more than 3" tall, which is probably the main reason I haven't taken any recent pictures of them.

    Is it worth the wait? If it's the only way to get more plants, then it might very well be. If dividing established plants is an option, that would certainly give you more blooms sooner. I don't plan to WS astilbe this year since I already have over a dozen mature plants + the ones I WS. Doesn't mean I won't ever WS them again but there are other things I don't already have in my garden that are on this year's seed list.

  • PVick
    12 years ago

    Sometimes it's well worth the wait, if only in knowing that you grew them yourself. I started astilbe from seed back in the winter of 2001-2002 and got one lonely seedling to survive. Ended up giving it to a friend, who already had mature astilbes. She divided what she already had, and babied that little seedling for 4 years before it finally bloomed. She tells me it's the most floriferous (is that a word?) of any of her astilbes; she's been able to divide it several times over the years.

    As an aside, I waited 4 years for my tiger lilies from bulbils. They were absolutely gorgeous! Well worth the wait.

    PV

    P.S. to gardenweed - my oak leaf hydrangea seedlings have gotten their first set of true leaves. So amusing, because they are still so teeny that you can't even see a stem. Looks like it will be way more than 3 years on this one! But as long as they are willing to continue growing, I can muster up the patience to wait for them!

  • gardenweed_z6a
    12 years ago

    PV - had to smile wide when I saw that P.S. because my sprouts are still barely visible too! These are supposed to grow into enormous shrubs but they're certainly in no rush to get there! (;-p)

    Thanks for the encouraging words about WS astilbe blooms. I content myself with the thought they're developing incredible roots instead of putting the energy into top growth this year. I guess astilbe is the poster child for the perennial sleep/creep/leap rule.

  • ladyrose65
    12 years ago

    This is a good post. Now I know why my Astilbe is still small.

  • pippi21
    12 years ago

    I've come to the conclusion that sometimes it is better to buy starter plants from a local garden center/nursery of certain plants. Astilibe probably is one, lupine is another. Eileen, my lupine are still alive but I bet they aren't even 5 or 6 inches tall if that tall. I agree with you about letting them grow in a pot for a season to get bigger. I wished I'd done that instead of planting them when they had their second set of leaves. I have to learn to be patient with certain plants but they don't realize that I'm not getting any younger!

  • dorothy4981
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you! Great info here. Patience is not one of virtues. At 70 this gardener needs instant gratification. Will spend this winter sowing things that grow fast and furious!