Rise and Shine is a Chinese astilbe hybrid with large, 8-inch, hot pink plumes on very strong stems that never need staking. It blooms in midsummer, after most early astilbes have finished.
It has a sturdier root system and more vibrant color than the straight species while keeping the Chinese astilbe's better tolerance of sun and dry spells. Growing about 27 inches tall, it suits shaded borders, woodland edges and containers. Deer and rabbits leave it alone.
What it looks like
Large, pyramid-shaped plumes about 8 inches long of tiny hot pink flowers, dense and upright on very sturdy stems above the leaves. Leaves are compound, deeply cut, coarsely textured and medium green. The plant is an upright clump about 27 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. At peak bloom bold hot pink pyramids stand straight above the foliage.
Growing it with lavender
Astilbe needs moist, rich soil and shade, the opposite of lavender's dry, sunny bed, so plant it in a shade garden or along a damp woodland edge with hostas and ferns.
Care
Grow in part shade in rich, moist soil; this Chinese type tolerates more sun and short dry spells than other astilbes, but performs far better with steady moisture. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9. Mulch well, water in dry weather, and cut back old plumes in spring.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Astilbe chinensis
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Flower color: Hot pink
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Foliage: Medium green
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Growth habit: Upright clump
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Mature size: 27 in tall × 12–18 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
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Light: full sun, part sun to part shade, full shade
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Bloom start: Early-July
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Peak bloom: Mid-July
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Resistant
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Pollinator value: Good
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.