Filipendula 'Elegans'

Filipendula 'Elegans': Frothy Plumes for Squelchy Ground

Fluffy white plumes with red stamens make the whole thing look soft pink from a distance, like cotton candy at the fall fair. 'Elegans' loves wet feet and lives up to its name. FANCY, FRAGRANT AND A LITTLE SOGGY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Filipendula purpurea 'Elegans'
• Common Name: Japanese Meadowsweet
• Height: 45–75 cm (1.5–2.5 ft)
• Spread: 45–75 cm (1.5–2.5 ft)
• Flowers: Fluffy, fragrant plumes of tiny white flowers with red stamens, giving a soft pink effect
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Large, deeply lobed, maple-like green leaves
• Features: Loves moist soil

Where to Plant: Plant it beside a pond or stream, in a rain garden, or in any low spot that stays damp, or use it mid-border in a moist bed or at a woodland edge that gets some sun. It is a natural fit for heavy clay that holds water.

Companion Plants: Give 'Elegans' a moist bed in sun or part shade with pink hellebores in spring and big white plumes behind. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Spinel' adds colourful foliage at 18 cm at the front. Helleborus HGC® Ice N' Roses® Rosetta opens soft pink flowers at 45 to 60 cm from March to May. Persicaria polymorpha brings big feathery white plumes at 120 to 180 cm from June to August. Molinia 'Skyracer' sends airy stems to 180 to 240 cm, turning bronzy gold in fall.

Plant Care: Plant in rich, moisture-retentive soil. Clay, loam and most pH levels are fine. The one thing it won't forgive is drying out. In dry soil the leaves scorch and look ragged, so water deeply in summer if rain doesn't do the job, and add a layer of mulch to keep the roots cool. In full sun, steady moisture is essential. Some afternoon shade helps the leaves look their best during hot spells. Cut spent plumes back after flowering if you prefer a tidy look, or leave them for texture. Cut the plant to the ground in late fall or early spring. Divide in early spring every few years if the clump gets crowded.

History: Filipendula purpurea is native to moist, open places in Japan, and the genus name comes from the Latin for thread and hanging, after the small root tubers some species carry on thread-like roots. 'Elegans' is an older garden selection valued for its pale flowers with red stamens.

Final Thoughts: Plant it by the pond or the downspout where everything else drowns. THE DAMP CORNER JUST GOT CLASSY.