Thalictrum delavayi

RHS Plant Profile

Chinese meadow rue

Synonyms

Thalictrum dipterocarpum misapplied

Herbaceous Perennial

Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £9.99 Buy this from Plant Nurseries
46 Suppliers

An upright, herbaceous perennial to 1.5m, with large, blue-green green leaves divided into many small oblong leaflets. Large, open panicles of lilac-mauve flowers 2cm in width, with prominent cream stamens appear from July through to September

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: 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): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Contact with foliage may irritate the skin. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
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
Plant Range: China Tibet

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. May need staking. See staking perennials for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or in early spring. Propagate by division in spring as new growth begins

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down stems once flowering is over

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews in dry conditions