Filipendula 'Kahome'

Filipendula 'Kahome': Pocket-Sized Plumes Where It Stays Damp

'Kahome' takes the big, fluffy meadowsweet look and shrinks it to fit a tiny front border. Feathery rosy-pink plumes float over a low, ferny mound. FULL GLAM, CARRY-ON SIZE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Filipendula 'Kahome'
• Common Name: Dwarf Meadowsweet
• Height: 20–30 cm (8–12 in)
• Spread: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)
• Flowers: Feathery plumes of tiny, rosy-pink flowers held just above the leaves
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Deep green, ferny leaves in a low, tidy mound
• Features: Compact, rabbit resistant, good for cutting

Where to Plant: Use it at the front of a moist border, along the edge of a pond or stream, in a rain garden, or in containers you'll keep watered. It is small enough for edging and tight spaces, and clay soil that holds water suits it well.

Companion Plants: Use compact 'Kahome' at the front of a moist bed in sun or part shade with pink and purple behind. Platycodon 'Astra Pink' adds light pink balloon flowers at 20 to 25 cm from June to August. Digitalis 'Dalmatian Purple' brings lilac-purple foxgloves at 40 to 60 cm in June and July. Hibiscus Summerific® 'Edge of Night' opens bubblegum pink blooms over dark leaves at 90 to 105 cm from July to September. Carex muskingumensis adds bright green, palm-like whorls at 60 to 90 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in fertile, humus-rich soil that stays evenly moist. It handles clay and a range of pH. In full sun, consistent moisture is a must. Where the soil dries out, give it some afternoon shade and a layer of mulch. Water deeply during dry spells. Stressed plants can develop powdery mildew in summer, so steady moisture and decent air circulation help keep the leaves clean. Snip off faded plumes if you like, or leave them for texture. Cut the foliage back in late fall or early spring. Divide the clump in early spring every few years to refresh it.

History: Meadowsweets belong to the genus Filipendula, part of the rose family, with species across the cooler parts of Europe, Asia and North America. 'Kahome' is grown and sold as a compact, garden-made selection with Asian parentage.

Final Thoughts: Deer and rabbits leave it alone, so you get every plume. CUT A FEW FOR A TINY BOUQUET AND FEEL VERY FANCY.