19 Different Types of Beautiful Astilbe Varieties

Astilbes are a shade garden staple. They add rich color and interesting coral-like flowers. The foliage is fine and lacey, which is a perfect contrast to wide leaf shade plants like hostas and hydrangeas. They are a low-maintenance perennial that won’t spread or become invasive.

Astilbes come in a variety of colors. Choose one color you love and plant pops of it throughout your beds. Or add one or two as a focal point. Another option is to mix and match the colors. I find all the shades go together so you can create a tapestry of color in your garden without much thought. If you’ve planted a lot of them, it looks like a coral reef when they’re in bloom.

Astilbe blooms in many different colors, but one of the most beautiful happens to be red. The following varieties bloom with red flowers that range in shades from bright red to deep maroon.

‘Burgundy Red’

	botanical name Astilbe x Arendsii ‘Burgundy Red’
	bloom colors Red
	height Height: 24″ Width: 24″

This variety of astilbe will add drama to your shade garden. It features large plumes of deep red flowers on lacy foliage. The flowers bloom in the mid-late summer, and they last a long time. The color will start to fade, but that puffy cockscomb texture will remain.

I think this variety looks great in a shade garden. I find shade perennials often have more muted color flowers. But ‘Burgundy Red’ is a bold choice. Add it to green and white shade gardens to add a big pop of color.

‘Red Sentinel’

	botanical name Astilbe x japonica ‘Red Sentinel’
	bloom colors Red
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

‘Red Sentinel’ is a bold red blooming variety. It features large plumes of scarlet red flowers. The lacy ferny foliage adds extra texture and dimension. The stems are a dark blood-red color.

This variety is perfect for adding color into your shade garden. Mix it with other astilbe varieties for a mosaic of color. Or plant it near big chartreuse leaf shade plants like ‘Sum and Substance’ hosta, or coral bells like ‘Lime Rickey’ for a big color contrast.

‘Fanal’

	botanical name Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’
	bloom colors Red
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

Most astilbes are a pinkish hue. Even some of the red and purple varieties you could argue are pink. But ‘Fanal’ is a deep scarlet red color. It has long, narrow spires of red flowers on top of the typical lacey green astilbe foliage. This variety blooms in the early-midsummer range.

I would mass plant this variety. The flowers are narrow and not as full as some of the fluffy pink varieties. Plant a large border or drift of them to really create impact. The flowers last a long time, and the foliage will take on a red hue as the season wears on.

Purple Varieties

Purple flowers are some of the most sought-after bloom colors by most gardeners. Astilbe blooms in many different shades of purple, from a deeper royal purple to shades of light lavender.

‘Purple Candles’

	botanical name Astilbe Chinensis ‘Purple Candles’
	bloom colors Pink/purple
	height Height: 36″ Width: 36″

‘Purple Candles’ is a tall variety of astilbe. It can reach up to 4′ in height! It has tall spires of lavender flowers. They are more of a pinkish purple. All the astilbes in the purple category have a pinkish hue. There is no true purple in astilbe like we see in salvia or delphinium flowers.

This late summer bloomer looks great as a tall back border in a shade garden. Mix it with ligularia and/or bugbane to create natural screens. Or they can be used as a tall flowering backdrop and plant lower growing plants such as hosta and brunnera in the front.

‘Amethyst’

	botanical name Astilbe x Arendsii ‘Amethyst’
	bloom colors Pink/purple
	height Height: 36″ Width: 24″

This variety of astilbe features lacy green foliage and large plumes of pinkish-purple flowers. Although it is called ‘amethyst’ I have trouble labeling it as a purple flower.

It has more of a pink hue. The flowers last a long time. They look good even after they start to fade. The soft plumes of mid-flowers add texture as well as a pop of color to a late-season shade garden.

The light pinkish hue is the perfect way to soften a garden. The color would pair really well with the lavender-purple blooms of most hostas.

‘Hyacinth’

	botanical name Astilbe x Arendsii ‘Hyacinth’
	bloom colors Lavender pink
	height Height: 36″ Width: 24″

‘Hyacinth’ is a very pretty variety of astilbe. It features deeply lobed ferny foliage with big plumes of light lavender-pink flowers. This is a late spring-summer blooming variety.

Consider planting ‘Hyacinth’ with lush foliage like hosta. I would then add tuberous begonias in white (such as ‘Nonstop White’) in and amongst for a romantic garden vibe. The rosette flowers on the begonias will pair nicely with the soft fuzzy astilbe flowers.

‘Pumila’

	botanical name Astilbe chinensis ‘Pumila’
	bloom colors Lavender
	height Height: 12″ Width: 24″

‘Pumila’ is a sweet dwarf variety that only reaches 12″ high with the flowers. This makes it a perfect ground cover plant. The lacy ferny astilbe foliage looks great throughout the season. In the mid-late summer, small stalks of lavender flowers adorn this variety. I think this variety is the closest to true purple as the purple varieties get.

I would love to see this variety planted at the base of some large Annabelle hydrangeas. The big round leaves and large balls of white flowers would be the perfect contrast to the small delicate leaf and fuzzy lavender flowers of ‘Pumila’.

Pink Varieties

When most gardeners think of astilbe, they no doubt think of their big, pink, fluffy blooms. Astilbe is most commonly planted in shades of pink, from light pink to bright fuchsia blooms.

‘Little Vision in Pink’

	botanical name Astilbe Chinensis ‘Little Vision in Pink’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 16″ Width: 16″

Light pink plumes of fluffy flowers adorn the light green lacy astilbe foliage on ‘Little Vision in Pink’. The flowers bloom in late summer and cover the entire plant in a pyramid of pink.

This variety is a tad bit shorter than some of the other varieties. I think that makes it perfect for mixing and matching with other astilbe varieties to create a coral reef of astilbe. Try planting it with one of the red varieties like ‘Red Sentinel’ and a white variety like ‘Bridal Veil’.

‘Younique Salmon’

	botanical name Astilbe x Japonica
	bloom colors Light Pink
	height Height: 18″ Width: 18″

This bushy little astilbe has lovely salmon flowers that make it look like a tropical coral reef. It blooms these large fluffy plumes of tropical pink flowers in the late summer. The foliage is the typical green lacy foliage of astilbes.

I love this light pink salmon color in gardens. It mixes great with the light lavender-purple flowers of many hostas. It’s a perfect cottage combination.

‘Sprite’

	botanical name Astilbe simplicifolia
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 12″ Width: 18″

‘Sprite’ is a dwarf variety of astilbe. It has small-pointed, jagged foliage. The leaves have a bronze hue to them. Then the light pink flowers grow wiry from the foliage.

They look like stiff pipe cleaners rather than the soft, full pyramids of flowers of other varieties. I like this sharp texture in the garden. It’s interesting and unique. Pair it with soft round flowers like tuberous begonias to really emphasize the different texture.

Plant in the front border of gardens to add textural contrast. The ferny foliage looks great through the spring. Then the stalks of light pink blooms in late summer are a nice surprise. I find late summer can be a gap in blooms, ‘Sprite” is just the thing to fill that gap.

‘Jump and Jive’

	botanical name Astilbe x arendsii ‘Jump and Jive’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 24″ Width: 24″

‘Jump and Jive’ is a bold, bright astilbe. With bright plumes of fuchsia flowers on top of lush lacy green foliage, it is sure to be a star in your garden. This variety blooms in the early to mid-summer and will add bold color to your shady spaces.

For a real pop of color, plant “Jump and Jive’ with lady’s mantle. The mustard yellow flowers on the lady’s mantle will fall down below the upright astilbe flowers and make an eye-catching combination.

‘Peach Blossom’

	botanical name Astilbe x Japonica ‘Peach Blossom’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

‘Peach Blossom’ astilbe looks like coral in your garden. With soft sprays of peachy flowers on dainty foliage, it looks like it belongs under the sea. This variety starts blooming in late spring. The blossoms stay intact for a long time. The color will fade, but the fluffy coral texture will remain.

I really love these old-fashioned soft colors in a garden. You can pair them with purple, late-spring blooming allium for a whimsical combination.

‘Maggie Daley’

	botanical name Astilbe chinensis ‘Maggie Daley’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

Tall, fluffy spires of pink flowers rise from glossy dark green foliage on the ‘Maggie Daley’ astilbe. The flowers in this variety are very tall and dense, which creates quite an impact in a shade garden.

They start blooming from the bottom and eventually rise to the tips of the flowers. They Bloom in late summer, and the flowers remain intact for a long time.

I saw a picture of ‘Maggie Daley’ astilbe surrounded by golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia ‘Aurea’). The deep green glossy leaves of the astilbe really stand out against the bright golden foliage of the creeping ground cover. Then the bright pink flowers rise up, which is also complemented by the golden creeping Jenny.

‘Rise and Shine’

	botanical name Astilbe Chinensis ‘Rise and Shine’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

‘Rise and Shine’ will add a punch to your shade garden. The hot pink color of the flower stalks are intense. They grow in thick spires on top of dark lacey mounds of astilbe foliage. They bloom in late summer. The color is bright and will add impact to your garden.

You can plant a bold variety of astilbe like ‘Rise and Shine’ as a feature plant. I usually plant perennials in groups or drifts to add impact. But just adding one or two of these brightly colored astilbe will have an impact in your shade garden.

‘Fireworks Pink’

	botanical name Astilbe Сhinensis ‘Fireworks Pink’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 24″ Width: 24″

‘Fireworks Pink’ is a pretty astilbe with green-glossy foliage and shorter stalks of soft cotton candy pink flowers. They’re more wiry than most astilbe flowers. Also, instead of upright soft plumes like most varieties, the flowers point on ‘Fireworks pink’ drape downwards slightly. They are an early to mid-summer bloomer.

I would plant this variety with white violas or pansies planted underneath. It would be a sweet little cottage combination.

Ostrich Plume

	botanical name Astilbe x thunbergii ‘Straussenfeder’
	bloom colors Pink
	height Height: 36″ Width: 24″

‘Ostrich Fern’ is another atypical variety of astilbe. It features large plumes of apricot pink flowers that spill downwards instead of staying erect on top of the plant like most astilbe flowers. This is a midsummer blooming variety that grows quite tall and full.

I would use this variety in the back of a shade garden and plant other shorter shade plants like spiderwort, ferns, hostas, etc., below. It can also be used as a natural screen in the garden.

White Varieties

While white flowers may seem a bit boring to some gardeners, astilbe makes up for it with the sheer volume of blooms. From snow-white flowers to whites with hues of pink or yellow undertones, astilbe has several beautiful white varieties to choose from.

‘Bridal Veil’

	botanical name Astilbe x Arendsii ‘Bridal Veil’
	bloom colors White
	height Height: 24″ Width: 24″

The bright white flowers of ‘Bridal Veil’ astilbe are just the thing to brighten up shade gardens. It has plumes of pure bright white flowers on its delicate foliage.

This variety is perfect for brightening up shade gardens. Plant with hostas that have white accents, such as ‘Patriot’ for a classic green and white garden. Or plant ‘Bridal Veil’ along pathways as a natural way to illuminate the garden at night.

‘Milk and Honey’

	botanical name Astilbe Chinensis ‘Milk and Honey’
	bloom colors White
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

I love this variety of astilbe. ‘Milk and Honey’ is a color-changing marvel. The chartreuse spires of unopened blooms will start opening from the bottom. They bloom ivory white. Then they start changing to a blush of pink as the blossoms age.

I think the name comes from the ivory milk-colored blossoms on the bottom of the flowers and the honey-yellow color of the blossoms that haven’t started opening.

The interesting color change and texture of ‘Milk and Honey’ make it a great plant to pair with brighter colored astilbe, or other shade flowers like bright tuberous begonias.

‘Chocolate Shogun’

	botanical name Astilbe x arendsii ‘Chocolate Shogun’
	bloom colors White
	height Height: 24″ Width: 18″

‘Chocolate Shogun’ is a very different variety of astilbe. If you want something unique that has an interest in both flowers and foliage, this is the one! What makes ‘Chocolate Shogun’ so special is its deep burgundy foliage.

Then it has long burgundy stems that rise from the burgundy foliage and bloom white. The blooms start from the bottom and work their way up. The closed buds are a pinkish-purple color, so the flowers take on a pink color. This stunning variety blooms mid- late summer.

I would love to see this paired with ‘Black Negligee’ bugbane that has similar foliage and flowers but is bigger and taller. I would make sure to add lots of green (eg. hosta) and chartreuse (eg. golden creeping Jenny) plants to set off the burgundy foliage.