Colourless astilbes

Credit: Courtesy McFayden

Q: My astilbes didn’t show any signs of colours either in spring or summer. The actual flower came out very brown but not pink or red, which they are supposed to be! Please help me since I love astilbes.

It is important to remember that astilbe by nature is a water hog, so moisture must be consistent throughout the growing season. Astilbe actually works well as a waterside planting for ponds. Make sure your soil has good moisture-retention capacity with lots of organic matter. Or grow your plants close to a water tap!