Vision in Red is a compact Chinese astilbe with deep red buds that open to full plumes of pinkish red flowers on red stems in midsummer. Its bronze-green, deeply cut leaves add color and texture all season.
At about 15 inches tall and wide, it fits the front of a border, containers and small shade gardens. Like other Chinese astilbes, it handles a bit more sun and dryness than most, though it is best in moist soil. Deer and rabbits leave it alone.
What it looks like
Full, dense, branched plumes 5 to 7 inches long of tiny pinkish red flowers opening from deep red buds, held on red stems just above the foliage. Leaves are compound, deeply incised, coarsely textured and bronze-green. The plant is a compact, rounded clump about 15 inches tall and 15 inches wide. At peak bloom deep red and pinkish red plumes crown the bronze 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: Pinkish red from deep red buds
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Foliage: Bronze-green
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Growth habit: Compact, rounded clump
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Mature size: 15 in tall × 15 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.
Lavender companion · grow guide
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