Unpack bare roots or rhizomes on arrival and plant them within a week. Until then, keep them somewhere cool and ensure the roots remain slightly moist, never wet.
Out of season
Grow a summer display which is just as iconic as the 80's hit! Astilbe 'Purple Rain' will be your number 1 in summer when it erupts into an explosive concert of intense purple fluffy flowers. Tight clusters of tiny red-mauve blooms huddle together to create tufty, feathery plumes that are irresistibly tactile. With flowers this sensational, you may find yourself snipping some for a vase indoors. They can also be dried to bring a fun and funky twist to dried flower arrangements. If you haven’t tried growing astilbe before, give it a go and see how quickly you become a fan!
Commonly known as false goat's beard, you'll find Astilbe 'Purple Rain' particularly useful for clay soils and also injecting colour into those tricky shaded corners, where the ground never quite dries out. Astilbe delivers a long season of interest, flowering from July through to late summer. And, it's not just the flowers which make this superstar worth having, the finely-cut leaves of Astilbe × arendsii 'Purple Rain' are a point of interest too, offering oodles of texture to your borders and containers.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Remove the packaging straight away, check the compost and water thoroughly if dry. Check the plant’s hardiness before placing it outdoors. Plant into a border or permanent container within a month, choosing the position recommended for the variety. Keep the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, firm gently and water well.
Soak the roots in water for three to six hours immediately before planting. Keep any crown, buds or emerging shoots above the water where possible.
Pot most bare roots into 15–20cm pots filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. Large or depth-sensitive roots, including peonies, are often best planted directly into borders.
Arrange the roots naturally without bending them. Cover the roots completely, positioning the crown and buds at the depth recommended for that particular perennial.
Keep pots in a sheltered outdoor position and water whenever the compost begins to dry. Grow on until roots hold the compost together when lifted from the pot.
Plant into a suitable border or permanent container once well rooted. Add a label and water regularly throughout the first growing season while the perennial establishes.
- Botanical name
- Astilbe 'Purple Rain'ᴾᴮᴿ (× _arendsii_)
- Flower colour
- Purple
- Established height
- 50-70cm
- Established spread
- 30-50cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
-
Upright
Clump-forming - Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green, bronze
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant size
- 2/3 eyes
- Plant spacing
- 9 plants per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- Yes
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- Yes
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
-
Damp
Boggy - Soil type
-
Loam
Clay
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Large containers
Borders
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Pots
Water Gardens
Cut flower gardens - Sunlight
-
Full shade
Partial shade
Dappled shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1-2 years
Good for cutting
Great for shade
Perennial
Fully hardy
Packed peat-free
Low maintenance
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Astilbe 'Purple Rain' reviews
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