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Herbaceous Perennial

Thalictrum actaeifolium

Actaea-leaved meadow rue

A clump-forming perennial with lobed leaves that emerge flushed with bronze and purple in spring and erect stems to around 80cm tall bearing heads of small fluffy flowers in summer, each to 1cm in diameter and made up of lavender to white stamens

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Thalictrum can be rhizomatous or tuberous perennials with ternately or pinnately divided, often attractive foliage, and panicles or racemes of small flowers with showy stamens and sometimes large colourful petal-like sepals
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Prefers moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade, though will tolerate a sunny position if not too dry

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Cut flowers

Pruning

Faded flower stems can be cut back in late autumn or in spring before new growth starts emerging

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews in dry conditions

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