How to Grow Astrantia

If you live in USDA zones 3 through 9, Astrantia is a wonderful plant to include in your perennial flower garden. Astrantia includes the varieties: “Star of Billion”, “Star of Beauty”, “Snow Star” and “Venice”. It is also more commonly known as masterwort. It is a part of the carrot family, but don’t let that fool you. This perennial, depending on the variety growing, can bloom from late springing until fall. The flowers come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. The colors range from white with the petals tipped in green or purple to dark red. They are often used in flower arrangements, either fresh cut or dried.

Astrantia is often used for naturalizing, or grown as a border plant. This is one of the easier plants to grow, it can grow almost anywhere you plant it. Depending on the variety you choose, the height of this plant is 18 to 30 inches with a spread of 15 to 16 inches.

Finding the Planting Location

In the spring, find an area to plant the Astrantia stars. The location should provide shade during the heat of the day.can have partial shade to full sun. Once you decide where you are going to plant it, prepare the soil.

If you have a large area to plant, use a tiller to work up the ground, otherwise, use a garden fork. It is a good idea to amend the soil with 2 inches of well-rotted compost. Compost adds nutrients to the soil that your plant will use to grow. It also helps with drainage.

Dig the Holes

Dig the holes for your Astrantia, spacing each hole 15 inches apart. Make the width of the holes twice as wide as the Astrantia root ball. The depth of the hole should be kept the same as the root ball.

Remove the root ball from the container and then insert it in to the center of the hole. Fill in around the root ball with the amended soil. Gently firm the soil around root ball with your hands.

Water and Mulch

Water the Astrantia thoroughly. Keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. To test if the soil needs water, stick your finger into the soil up to the first knuckle. If the soil feels dry, water it. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Provide an inch of water through the growing seasons, to keep the Astrantia looking and growing beautiful.

Place a 3 t 4 inch layer of organic over the ground. The mulch helps the soil retain moisture. It also prevents the weeds from growing, which means less work for you on pulling them.

After-Care

After the flowers fade cut them off the plant to encourage more blooms to set on.

In the spring, when the Astrantia are beginning to grow, feed them with a liquid, balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. Read and apply according to label directions.

Cut Astrantia back to the ground in the fall after the plant dies back.

Sources:

“American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants”; Christopher Brickell; 2004


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