Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pumila Astilbe: A Late Lilac Carpet for the Shady Side
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Pumila astilbe is a popular dwarf astilbe that spreads by short runners into a low carpet of toothed green leaves. In late summer, when most astilbes are long finished, it sends up stiff, fuzzy, upright plumes of lilac pink. At only about 10 inches tall, it works as a flowering groundcover in shade.
Pumila holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, and as a Chinese astilbe, it puts up with more sun and dryness than other types. Even so, it is a moist-soil, shade-garden plant. In a lavender garden, it belongs on the shady side.
Pumila at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' |
| Flowers | Lilac pink, in stiff, narrow plumes 4 to 6 inches long |
| Foliage | Compound, toothed, coarse, mid-green |
| Size | About 10 inches tall in bloom, 12 to 16 inches wide and spreading |
| Bloom | Starts early August, peaks late August |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Best in part shade |
| Deer | Resistant; rabbits leave it alone too |
Lilac for the shade, after lavender's peak
Pumila's lilac pink sits right in the lavender family of colors, and it blooms in August, after lavender's main show. On a property with a sunny lavender bed and a shady patch under trees, that is a neat bit of timing: the purple tones move from sun to shade as summer goes on.
Use it as a groundcover under trees, along the front of a shade border or in containers on a shady porch. Its spreading habit fills gaps between hostas and ferns. Keep it out of the lavender bed itself, where the soil is too dry and lean. The Companion Plant Planner helps you sort sun from shade.
Growing a happy astilbe
- Moisture: it tolerates short dry spells better than most astilbes, but performs far better with steady moisture. Leaf scorch from drought is the most common problem.
- Mulch: a good layer of mulch keeps roots cool and moist.
- Air: crowded plantings in muggy weather can get powdery mildew or leaf spot.
- Pests: Japanese beetles and foliar nematodes show up now and then.
Winter and the rising crown
Pumila is hardy in Michigan. Leave the dried plumes standing for winter texture, then cut them back in spring. Astilbe crowns slowly rise above the soil over the years, so top-dress with compost or divide every few years to keep them covered.
Cutting and drying
The plumes are good for cutting and dry well, holding their stiff shape. They make an unexpected partner for dried lavender in small arrangements.
About the bare root plant
Pumila is offered as a bare root plant. Plant it with the crown just at the soil surface in rich, moist soil and water it in well. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pumila take some sun?
More than most astilbes, especially with steady moisture. Afternoon shade helps in hotter zones, and it still will not like the dry soil of a lavender bed.
How fast does it spread?
It spreads slowly by short runners into a carpet, widening over time rather than racing through a bed.
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