We don’t normally think of astilbes as being foliage plants. We enjoy their fluffy plumes in reds, pinks and white and their value in damp soil – but foliage? I don’t think there are any variegated astilbes (although I’d be delighted to be corrected).
So the arrival of two new astilbes with colourful foliage, as well as lovely plumes, is rather a breakthrough. To give credit… both these plants have been available at the RHS Wisley Plant Centre last year but now they’re available by mail order from Dobies and Suttons so everyone can get them easily.
Both are the result of Henk Holtmaat’s breeding programme in Holland. An associate of Arie Blom, raiser of some spectacular double-flowered echinaceas, his aim is to produce astilbes with both good flowers and good foliage.
In ‘Beauty of Ernst’, known by the selling name of Colour Flash, the leaves emerge green but then add purple and burgundy tones which show off the pale pink plumes perfectly. Later, the dominant foliage colours become more autumnal: gold, orange and russet tones.
The foliage of ‘Beauty of Lisse’, known by the selling name of Colour Flash Lime, opens bright yellow and greens with age and this plant too features blush pink flowers - perhaps in a less harmonious combination but the brilliance of that first fresh foliage in such a sunny shade is real treat.
You can order Astilbe Colour Flash and Astilbe Colour Flash Lime from Suttons.
You can order Astilbe Colour Flash and Astilbe Colour Flash Lime from Dobies.