Astilbe, often called False Spirea or False Goat’s Beard, is a popular perennial valued for its ability to thrive in shaded garden spaces. This plant produces striking, feathery plumes of tiny flowers held high above attractive, fern-like foliage. Astilbe is frequently used to add texture and vibrant color to areas where many other flowering plants struggle to receive enough light. Its long-lasting blooms and deer resistance contribute to its widespread use in landscaping.
The Core Color Palette
Astilbe flowers are predominantly bred within four distinct color groupings, providing a reliable palette for shade gardens. The Whites range from pure, bright white to softer cream or ivory shades. These white plumes are frequently airy and lacy, offering a crisp contrast against the dark green foliage.
The Pink spectrum is the most common and expansive, covering everything from the palest blush to vibrant, medium rose tones. Red is the third major group, offering intense, dramatic color that can be scarlet or deep crimson. These red plumes provide a bold visual anchor in a typically muted shade environment.
The Purple and Lavender group provides cool-toned options, often appearing as soft lilac or deep violet. These plumes frequently possess a pinkish undertone, which places them distinctly in the magenta range rather than a true blue-purple.
Nuances and Specific Shades
Within the primary color groups, breeders have developed numerous cultivars that offer variations in hue and saturation. The pink range includes specific shades like delicate salmon-pink, vibrant cerise, and deeper raspberry tones. Cultivars such as ‘Peach Blossom’ offer a pastel, apricot-pink that adds a romantic feel to borders.
The red category can extend to deep, almost burgundy shades, with varieties like ‘Fanal’ noted for their dark saturation. Whites are not always pure, often leaning toward creamy white or ivory, while purple varieties can present as electric violet or lilac. Light levels also influence the perceived shade; colors tend to be brighter and longer-lasting in partial to full shade, as too much sun can cause the color to fade quickly.
Unavailable Colors in Astilbe
While Astilbe offers a rich spectrum of colors, it does not naturally produce flowers in all common garden hues. The two most notable absences are true blue and bright yellow. The purple shades available, though sometimes described as violet, always retain a noticeable pink or magenta base, lacking the pigment required for a genuine blue flower like a delphinium.
There are no cultivars that produce a bright yellow flower plume. Any mention of yellow in relation to Astilbe usually refers to the golden or chartreuse tints present in the foliage of certain varieties, such as ‘Goldsturm’, and not the actual flower.