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Re: [SG] Astilbe Questions

Vicky, my understanding is that most of the common astilbes that we see
are hybrids between different species and then there are cultivars of
those hybrids. The correct way to list the names is Astilbe X arendsii
'Fanal' or 'Peach Blossom' or 'Deutschland'. You could also just
say Astilbe 'Peach Blossom' etc. The arendsii is not being used here as a
true species name, but comes from Arends, the name of the German breeder
of these various cultivars. Unless the taxonomists have been at work very
recently, these other "species" names you have encountered are bogus, at
least for the cultivars you mention. Neither my WYMAN'S ENCYCLOPEDIA nor
TAYLOR'S GUIDE mention them. There are a few other Astilbe cultivars that
are not in the arendsii group--A. chinensis 'Pumila' comes to mind.

Bobbi Diehl
Bloomington, IN
zone 5/6
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