How to plant and grow Astrantia (Masterwort)

Last updated on May 3rd, 2022

Astrantia, also known as Masterwort is a very strong herbaceous perennial that’s quite tolerant of most soil types. As long as it is moist it can do well in just about any other conditions, but they prefer partial to light shade and are perfect for cottage gardens.

It has a very long flowering season that runs from the beginning of summer all the way through autumn, making it a delightful addition to your garden. One thing to note is that it does freely self-seed, so if you want to avoid this be sure to deadhead them regularly. Doing so also encourages a longer flowering period.

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Growing Considerations

These are free-flowering plants so you can cut away the flowers and add them to arrangements without taking away from the beautiful display you have outside. They can also spread very quickly.

The foliage is deep green with divided leaves and the flowers are small, often white or pink in colour with frilly, papery bracts. These beautiful flowers are what help them to make excellent flower arrangements.

They require fertile, moist soil but don’t like to be waterlogged so dig in plenty of organic matter and grit to the soil if this might be a problem. They thrive best in partial shade but if you water them well you can grow them in sunny conditions as well. Some of the darker varieties are better suited to sunny sites, such as the Astrantia ‘Hadspen Blood’ so it’s best to find a suitable variety for the position you have. Most varieties though do need some sort of shade for them to thrive.

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Planting Astrantia

Once you have found the perfect position in your garden, you can plant them in moist, fertile soil. They will require a bit more water than other perennials you might have in your garden (because they don’t like to be dry) but you can add them to containers, mixed border gardens or flowerbeds, just about any landscape design you can think of, just remember to choose a spot with a little shade.

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Caring for Astrantia

Cane taller varieties and mulch around the base to conserve moisture

If they are planted in an area that is exposed they might benefit from being staked for additional support because they can get a little tall. You can apply a layer of mulch or compost around the base of the plant between April and May to help conserve moisture. When the weather gets particularly dry make sure you increase the watering frequency as they do need moist soil and will suffer should the soil become dry.

Cut back after the first flush of flowers to encourage a second flush

After the first flush of flowers, usually in July, you can cut the entire plant to ground level and this will stimulate additional flowers.

Remove spent flowers if you want to discourage self-seeding

You can leave the flowers once they have finished flowering on the plant over winter and this will add a bit of architectural design to your garden. However, they are quite prolific in self-seeding, so you might want to deadhead certain varieties to prevent the flowers from overtaking your entire garden.

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Winter Care

In November you should cut your plant down to ground level and mulch over with compost to protect the root system, add vital nutrients back into the soil and help conserve moisture.

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Pests and Diseases

Be on the lookout for slug damage but in most cases, they don’t seem to be that problematic. Slugs are drawn to the young, emerging shoots and powdery mildew can happen when conditions are less than ideal, especially if the soil is waterlogged. For mildew, try to remove affected leaves and spray with a fungicide.

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Top Varieties to try

• Astrantia major ‘Star of Beauty’
• Astrantia major ‘Claret Great Black’
• Astrantia major ‘Roma’
• Astrantia maxima ‘Rosea Great’
• Astrantia involucrata
• Astrantia major ‘Sunningdale’
• Astrantia major ‘Venice’

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Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API