''Astilbe'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of 18

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s within the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Saxifragaceae Saxifragaceae is a family of herbaceous perennial flowering plants, within the core eudicot order Saxifragales. The taxonomy of the family has been greatly revised and the scope much reduced in the era of molecular phylogenetic analysis. The f ...

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spirea. These hardy

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennials A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

are cultivated by gardeners for their large, handsome, often fern-like foliage and dense, feathery plumes of flowers. They are widely adapted to shade and water-logged conditions, hence they are particularly associated with pond-side planting. They also tolerate clay soils well. Numerous

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

cultivars A cultivar is a type of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and when Plant propagation, propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and st ...

have been raised. Flowers of at least some ''Astilbe'' species have a strong and pleasant aroma. Some species, including ''

Astilbe rivularis ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'', are used in traditional medicine.

Species

Species of ''Astilbe'' include: *''

Astilbe biternata ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' (Vent.) Britton ex Kearney – Appalachian false goat's beard *''

Astilbe chinensis ''Astilbe chinensis'', commonly known as false goat's beard, tall false-buck's-beard or Chinese astilbe, is a plant in the saxifrage ''Saxifraga'' is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic p ...

'' (Maxim.) Franch. & Sav. *''

Astilbe crispa ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' (Arends) Bergmans *''

Astilbe glaberrima ''Astilbe glaberrima'', called the florist's spiraea and smooth rock astilbe, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Astilbe'', native to Yakushima Island, Japan. Some authorities have it as a subspecies of ''Astilbe japonica'', ''Astilbe ...

'' Nakai *''

Astilbe grandis ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' Stapf ex E. H. Wilson – Korean false goat's beard *''

Astilbe japonica ''Astilbe japonica'', called false buck's beard, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Astilbe'', native to Japan, and introduced in New York State. Its hybrid cultivars 'Deutschland', 'Montgomery', and 'Rheinland' have gained the Royal ...

'' ( C.Morren & Decne.) A.Gray *''

Astilbe longicarpa ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' (Hayata) Hayata *''

Astilbe macroflora ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' Hayata *''

Astilbe microphylla ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' Knoll ** ''Astilbe microphylla'' var. ''riparia'' Hatus. *''

Astilbe platyphylla ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizomatous flowering plants within the family Saxifragaceae, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the common names false goat's beard and false spi ...

'' H. Boiss. *''

'' Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don ** ''Astilbe rivularis'' var. ''angustifoliolata'' H. Hara ** ''Astilbe rivularis'' var. ''myriantha'' (Diels) J. T. Pan *'' Astilbe rubra'' Hook. f. & Thomson – false goat's beard *''

Astilbe sikokumontana ''Astilbe'' is a genus of 18 species of rhizome, rhizomatous flowering plants within the family (biology), family Saxifragaceae, native plant, native to mountain ravines and woodlands in Asia and North America. Some species are known by the comm ...

'' Koidz. *''

Astilbe simplicifolia ''Astilbe simplicifolia'', the entire-leaved astilbe, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Astilbe'', native to Japan and North Korea. It is a perennial herb that grows up to tall. The Latin specific epithet ''simplicifolia'' is in ref ...

'' Makino – entire-leaf false goat's beard *'' Astilbe thunbergii'' (Siebold & Zucc.) Miq. ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''congesta'' H. Boissieu ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''fujisanensis'' (Nakai) Ohwi ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''hachijoensis'' (Nakai) Ohwi ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''kiusiana'' Hara ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''longipedicellata'' Hatus. ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''okuyamae'' (Hara)

Ohwi was Japanese Botany, botanist. He was a distinguished member of the Faculty of Science of Kyoto University, Kyoto Imperial University. He is perhaps best known for his 1953 . Species named after Ohwi * (Cyperaceae) ''Carex ohwii'' Genkei Masamu ...

** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''shikokiana'' (Nakai) Ohwi ** ''Astilbe thunbergii'' var. ''terrestris'' (Nakai) Ohwi

Cultivar groups

Commonly accepted

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

groups are: * ''Astilbe'' Arendsii Group *''Astilbe'' Crispa Group *''Astilbe'' Japonica Group *''Astilbe'' Simplicifolia Group The following varieties and cultivars have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

: *'Brautschleier' (Arendsii Group) - white *'Bronce elegans' (Simplicifolia) - salmon pink *''A. chinensis'' var. ''pumila'' - mauve *''A. chinensis'' var. ''taqueti'' 'Purpurlanze' - red/purple *''A. chinensis'' var. ''taqueti'' 'Superba' - rose/mauve *'Fanal' (Arendsii) - crimson *'' A. glaberrima'' var. ''saxatilis'' - pink & white, prostrate *'Rheinland' (Japonica) - pale pink *''A. simplicifolia'' *'Sprite' (Simplicifolia) - pale pink *'Straussenfeder' (Thunbergii) - pink *''A.'' × ''crispa'' 'Perkeo' (pink)

Cultivation

The UK National Collection of Astilbe is held by Malcolm Pharoah at Marwood Hill Gardens in Marwood, near

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...

North Devon North Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. North Devon Council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth ...

References

External links

Flora of China: Astilbe
{{Authority control Saxifragaceae genera