Astilbe arendsii Ellie

'Astilbe arendsii 'Ellie' is a compact, early-flowering variety of astilbe, boasting a vaporous flowering with open and wide, pure white plumes. These fragrant, dense plumes rise above elegant, dark green, finely cut foliage. This perennial thrives in partial shade and moist soil, making it particularly suitable for decorating banks and heavy soils that never dry out.

Astilbe 'Ellie' is a recent horticultural creation. It is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Saxifragaceae family. It is a very hardy variety with a compact growth habit and reaches approximately 40 to 60 cm in height when in flower, with a similar spread. It is best planted in borders, surrounded by shade-loving companions such as ferns and Hostas. This rhizomatous plant is deciduous, with its vegetation emerging in spring and drying out in autumn. 'Ellie' astilbe forms an upright clump of stems covered in compound, dark green leaves that are deeply cut and toothed. Flowering occurs in June and July, in the form of feathery, delicate, arching inflorescences composed of a multitude of small flowers that change from a very pale greenish-yellow to almost pure white when fully open.

Astilbes bring life to shaded paths or the edge of ponds with their distinguished foliage and elegant and contrasting flowering. In borders and edging, 'Ellie' pairs well with Hostas, Ferns, Solomon's Seals, Corydalis, and Tiarelles. Due to its compact size, it can also be grown in large pots, in partial shade, provided that watering is well-maintained. At the end of the season, let the inflorescences dry in place or remove some spikes to complement large dried bouquets in autumn. The flowers are beautiful in floral arrangements and dried bouquets.