Astrantia major 'Rubra'

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masterwort 'Rubra'

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masterwort 'Rubra' RHS
masterwort 'Rubra' visionspictures.com
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Synonyms

Astrantia rubra

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A clump-forming perennial up to 90cm high with deeply lobed, toothed, dark green leaves, dark red-green stems, and umbels of dark plum-coloured pincushion-like flowers surrounded by a ruff of dark red bracts from early to late summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

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

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–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
Apiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Astrantia are clump-forming herbaceous perennials with palmately lobed basal leaves and branched, erect, wiry stems bearing compact umbels of tiny flowers surrounded by a rosette of showy bracts
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, fertile, preferably humus-rich soil (incorporate plenty of organic matter when planting if necessary) in partial shade, or in sun if the soil stays reasonably moist in summer; mulch with organic matter in spring

Propagation

Propagate by division in autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but cutting faded flowers back to the ground will encourage further flowers

Pests

May be susceptible to astrantia leaf miner

Diseases

Generally disease-free