Companion plants for Astilbe
Astilbe blooms from June through July. It wants part shade and high water. The 8 companion pairings below each state why the pairing works.
Blooming before Astilbe opens
Azalea
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Flowering Dogwood
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its white flowers settle the pink.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Snowdrop
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 5 in, for the front of the border.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
Taking over as Astilbe finishes
Turtlehead
Takes part sun to part shade and high water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; echoes the pink.
Cardinal Flower
Takes part sun to part shade and high water; overlaps, then carries the display into early fall; both are strong pollinator plants; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Summersweet
Shares part shade and high water; overlaps, then carries the display into late summer; both are strong pollinator plants; taller at 6 ft, for the layer behind it.