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geedavey

Is astilboides tabularis a fun plant?

GeeDavey
20 years ago

I'd like to plant this with some Wallich's wood fern (Dryopteris wallichiana). Both go to 3 ft+ and are definitly contrasting leaf patterns. I don't have huge beds, but I can afford two 3x3 spaces for the Astilboides.

Is this a plant you have or would like to have in your garden? What about Darmera peltata? I realize there are fabulous tropicals, but I want a perennial.

Do these look out-of-place in a garden?

Comments (12)

  • shade_tolerant
    20 years ago

    Davey, all I can tell you is that I've tried twice to grow this astilboides in my shade garden. It seemed to need more attention to its' watering needs than I could supply. It never got very big but didn't totally die either, as it returned in spring. If it comes back this year I think I will grow it in a large container where I'll remember to water it often and then replant it in the garden in fall.

  • GeeDavey
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    I'm going to grow one astilboides and one Darmera peltata and see which one I like.

  • jan7086
    20 years ago

    I have had 1 astilboides tabularis for about 4 years now and it hasn't grown very well for me either. I thought that it was in an area that receives enough moisture. Is it a plant that will transplant easily?

  • PRO
    Kaveh Maguire Garden Design
    20 years ago

    Astilboides is a much better plant imho. It does need regular water and part shade but much less water then Darmera. No matter what I did for my darmera it always looks ratty and horrible by the end of the season. Darmera stays nice till frost.

    Give it well amended soil with lots of compost and manure, water it well, especially if you have a dry spring when it is first coming up and you may want to bait for snails when its first leaves are just poking up in spring. It isn't a plant that I would put in my perennial border but it looks great by some big rocks near my pond. I have had mine about 5 years and it is huge with leaves over at least 2 feet across. The big white Astilbe like flowers in summer are neat too.

    Darmera is an OK plant and I have seen great photos of it near water and ponds but the spot I picked for it behind my pond was not wet enough. It does have very cool early spring blooms that come up before the foliage but I eventually got tired of it and dug it up last year.

    I think there is a photo of my Astilboides in "my journal".

  • GeeDavey
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Why not in a perennial border? Just curious.

    I didn't realize how much water the Darmera would require. I saw it in a bog garden on HGTV's Gardner's Journal and wondered how much moisture it would require.

  • GeeDavey
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Why not in a perennial border? Just curious.

    I didn't realize how much water the Darmera would require. I saw it in a bog garden on HGTV's Gardner's Journal and wondered how much moisture it would require.

  • PRO
    Kaveh Maguire Garden Design
    20 years ago

    I don't know. I have seen it in a perennial border and just didn't care for it. It is more a specimen plant I guess. The Astilboides likes its moisture too but not as bad as the Darmera. And the Astilboides won't look as bad if it dries out.

  • firevicar
    19 years ago

    I've got fantastic darmeras in Washington state. They like really swampy wet feet with full sun if possible. Mine get 4 feet tall and the round leaf about 2 feet in diameter.

    If you're into the big leaf tropical effect, you might try "sum and substance" hosta. It gets HUGE, unlike any other hosta I've seen. I've got 18" diameter leaves and the clump is about 6 feet across.

    All the best,
    FireVicar

  • susanlynne48
    19 years ago

    Ditto on 'Sum and Substance' - mine is about 5 years old now and is about 6' across and the leaves are about 2' long and 18" wide. It is huge!

    I also suggest petasites. There is the plain green, and a variegated form which I am growing in my shade perennial bed with hostas, ferns, lamium, and arum. They do take a lot of water, but mine seems to be coming along much better this year than last (it's first).

    SusanLynne

  • blitzdes
    19 years ago

    I think my astilboides is fun: big leaves, unique shape, fast grower, and a light chartreuse color that shows up well in shade. I planted it this summer, and the leaves are beautiful - no damage from insects or weather. It's very sturdy and cheerful.

  • Don_bloominc_net
    16 years ago

    This plant does very well with me. I have it growing in shade with some early morning filtered light. The soil is always wet. I have heavy clay. I ve divided it several times in the last four years and it takes over. I doubt this is a plant for zone 7 or higher.

  • garden_nerd
    16 years ago

    I like my Astilboides Tabularis - especially the giant nasturtium leaf effect. I keep it in a pot standing in a shallow pond to avoid the wilting that seemed to happen as soon as my back was turned for 2 minutes. I found that the leaves scorch very quickly if it is in sun and gets too dry. Sunshine doesn't seem to be such a problem as long as the soil is nice and damp. I also discovered that if the leaves become damaged and you cut them back it will respond with a fresh crop - very obliging.