Astrantia major
masterwort
apiaceae
Creamy white flowers with green, pink, or
red bracts; palmately lobed leaves
2–3 ft. (1 1/2 ft.) high; 2 ft. wide
Part shade
Blooms June–July
Zones 4–7
pruning Bracts are attractive for a
long period. Deadheading can prolong
bloom sporadically into September
and prevent seeding, which under
certain conditions can be prolific.
Deadhead to lateral flower buds; when
secondary bloom finishes and before
seeds mature, cut down flowering
stems to basal foliage. Yellowing of the
foliage may occur in summer, particu-
larly in dry conditions; deadleaf, or if
severe, cut back to new growth at base
of plant. Leave this basal growth for
the winter. Prune in the spring.
other maintenance Masterwort
prefers moist, shady, high-organic-
matter conditions. It can grow in sun if
kept constantly moist and spreads
rapidly by runners under good
conditions. Divide plants in spring or
fall every 4–5 years.
related plantS Choose Astrantia
major ‘Hadspen Blood’ or ‘Moulin
Rouge’ for especially showy deep red
flower bracts. ‘Sunningdale Variegated’
has pale pink flowers and foliage
edged in creamy yellow, while ‘Vanilla
Gorilla’ has soft pink blooms and
leaves bordered with white.Baptisia australis
false indigo
leguminoSaeIndigo-blue flowers on spikes; pealike
blue-green leaves
Blooms May–June
3–4 ft. high; 3–4 ft. wide
Full sun–part shade
Zones 3–9
pruning Plants that are cut back by a
third and shaped after flowering form
fresh, rounded, shrublike plants that
hold up well for the rest of the season.
This eliminates the flopping and
opening up of plants that normally
necessitates staking, particularly
when they are grown in some shade.
Cutting back also keeps plants in their
intended space. Hedge shears work
well for this task. Plants fill in after 3
weeks or so. As expected, plants cut
back by half grow even smaller and
narrower than those cut back by a
third, but in my opinion they are not
as attractive and take longer to fill in. Baptisia australis