Commonly known as goat's beard, Aruncus are elegant, deciduous perennial plants with huge, feathery, creamy-white plumes in summer. These flower spikes are spectacular, either in a border or at the side of a garden pool. There two main species commonly seen are native to damp woods and the sides of streams in eastern North America, as well as parts of Europe and Asia. Slowly spreading into dense clumps, the wiry stems of Aruncus carry large, long-stemmed leaves, each divided into pairs of toothed leaflets with noticeable veining. The showy sprays of blooms provide an attractive summer display, with male and female flowers usually being on different plants.

Aruncus aethusifolius and its main cultivar – Aruncus 'Little Gem' – are low-growing forms that spread slowly, and make very effective ground-cover plants. Meanwhile, forms of Aruncus dioicus are imposing, upright plants reaching as much as 2m in height in ideal situations, and when established. The male flowers of Aruncus dioicus are creamy-white and are showier than the females, which are usually greenish white, and slightly drooping. However, the females also produce brown seed capsules that are attractive in autumn, and may be cut and dried for winter arrangements. Grow Aruncus in moist, fertile soil in part- or full shade.