One of the Longest-Blooming Astilbes
Spring foliage is bright green, but darkens with the heat.
Plant Patent Applied For. Opening from bright red buds, the raspberry-pink blooms on this Astilbe seem to continue forever, reliably keeping the partly shaded garden colorful all summer long. And the foliage is nearly as showy, maturing from bright green in spring to a deep burgundy-purple by summer's end. A distinctive Astilbe with a compact habit suitable for containers as well as the border, 'Key West' deserves a prominent position in your landscape. A sport of A. 'Sprite,' this very well-branched, floriferous cultivar sets 5 to 7 flowering stems even when very young. The blooms begin in early summer, but the heaviest season is in mid- to late summer, when many others are beginning to fade. Subtly fragrant, they are very effective in a large planting. And 'Key West' offers a contrast to the heavily plumed look of many other Astilbes -- its blooms are set along widely-spaced horizontal stems along bright red spikes. The foliage is almsot as interesting as the blooms. It begins the season bright green, but begins to darken when the hot weather of summer arrives. By the end of the season, it is a deep burgundy-purple, and it remains on the plant long after the blooms have passed, keeping the shade border lovely all autumn. Vigorous and ready to establish in garden or container, 'Key West' reaches 16 to 18 inches high and about a foot wide. Zones 4-9.
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