Rodgersia pinnata Elegans

Rodgersia pinnata 'Elegans' is one of the most elegant varieties. With an architectural and bushy habit, it is distinguished by its palmate and glossy chestnut-like foliage that takes on magnificent autumnal hues, as well as its remarkable flowering in large panicles of tiny ivory to pink flowers that form tiered plumes. It is a tall and majestic perennial, suited for moist and shady locations.

Rodgersia pinnata is a Chinese species belonging to the Saxifragaceae family. The 'Elegans' variety is an Irish horticultural selection derived from this plant. From its fleshy rhizome, a clump of large pinnate leaves emerges, reaching over 1m (3ft) in height and 60cm (24in) in width. The clumps slowly spread to form patches over 1m² over time. The foliage of this perennial is distinguished by its resemblance to chestnut leaves. The leaves can reach 90cm (35in) in length and are divided into 4 to 8 lanceolate, wrinkled, deeply veined leaflets, arranged in opposite pairs, with a terminal leaflet. What sets the 'Elegans' cultivar apart is its young spring foliage, which is a brilliant green, turning darker in summer and then multicoloured in autumn, with beautiful shades of orange, purple, or violet on the lamina. It flowers in the heart of summer, producing large, branched panicles on sturdy, reddish stems, measuring 30 to 70cm (12 to 28in), adorned with clusters of star-shaped flowers, which are initially ivory and then bright coral-pink.

Rodgersia pinnata 'Elegans' is a hardy plant, suited for shaded and cool environments. It is ideal near water features, in the company of ferns, grasses, and astilbes, or along the edge of damp woodlands with tiarellas and heucheras. It can tolerate drier conditions, provided it is planted in shade. Plant it in abundance to cover the ground along a shaded path, or as a standalone specimen highlighted by a carpet of golden sedge, candelabra primroses, and blue hepaticas.