Propagate by division or separation - Divide in spring. Division every 3 or 4 years helps keep plants healthy. Discard old, weakened rhizomes and replant only newer, healthy roots.

Deadhead if self-seeding is a problem, but it won't induce more flowering.

Astilbes generally do not need staking.

Water during dry spells.   

Remove dead leaves or cut back plants to the ground if their foliage becomes dried out and brown during summer. This will encourage more foliage growth if cool, moist conditions return, or plants may remain dormant until spring.

Allow spent foliage to remain for the winter. Spent blooms are ornamental in fall and winter. Cut back to the ground in the spring.

Astilbes are heavy feeders and respond well to high nitrogen fertilizer in fall.

Needs well-drained soil overwinter.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Tarnished plant bug
White fly
Black vine weevil
Japanese beetle

Powdery mildew
Bacterial leaf spot
Cercospora leaf spot

Varieties offer a wide range of flower and foliage color, plant size and bloom time.

'America' ('Amerika') grows 2.5 feet tall with violet-rose blooms in early- to midsummer.

'Amethyst' grows 2.5 to 3 feet tall with pale purple-pink blooms in early summer.

'Anite Pfeifer' grows 2.5 feet tall with peachy-rose looms in mid- to late summer.

'Bridal Veil' ('Brautschleier') grows 2.5 feet tall with pure white, semi-nodding blooms that fade to cream color.

'Bressingham Beauty' grows 3 feet tall with vivid pink blooms in midsummer and bronze-tinted medium green leaves.

'Bumalda' grows 2.5 feet tall with pink-tinted, white blooms in early to midsummer.

'Cattleya' grows 3 feet tall with loosely arranged reddish-pink blooms in midsummer. Often reblooms in early fall.

'Diamond' ('Diamant') grows 2.5 feet tall with medium-green leaves and pure white blooms.

'Erica' ('Erika') grows 3 feet tall with pink blooms and bronze-tinted foliage.

'Etna' grows 2 feet tall with deep red blooms in midsummer.

'Fanal' grows 2 feet tall with dark green leaves and deep-red blooms in early summer.

'Federsee' grows 2 feet tall with medium green leaves and rosy-pink blooms in mid to late summer.

'Fire' ('Feuer') grows 3 feet tall with deep red blooms in late summer.

'Gertrud Brix' grows 2 feet tall with dark red blooms in midsummer.

'Gloria Purpurea' grows 1.5 feet tall with violet-pink blooms in midsummer

'Glow' ('Glut') grows 3 feet tall with deep red blooms in late summer.

'Granat' grows 2 feet tall with deep red blooms over dark green foliage.

'Grete Pungel' grows 3 feet tall with peach-pink blooms in early- to midsummer.

'Hyacinth' ('Hyazinth') grows 3 feet tall with purple-pink blooms in midsummer.

'Irrlicht' grows 1.5 feet tall with dark green leaves and pure white blooms in late spring and early summer.

'Mars' grows 3 feet tall with violet-rose blooms in early to midsummer.

'Purple Blaze' grows 4 to 4.5 feet tall with purple blooms in late summer.

'Red Light' ('Rotlicht') grows 1.5 feet tall with bright red blooms in midsummer.

'Snowdrift' grows 2 feet tall with pure white blooms in early to midsummer.

'Spartan' grows 2 feet tall with dark red blooms in midsummer.

'Venus' grows 3 feet tall with medium-green leaves and vivid pink blooms in early summer.

'White Glory' ('Weisse Gloria') grows 3 feet tall with pure white blooms in late summer and early fall.