Astilbe biternata

[P. Kohn]

This is the only North American Astilbe. Pictures show it to be a fine looking plant but we cannot find any UK supplier and seeds seem to be unavailable. Maybe it is too similar to Aruncus dioicus ?

We would really like to give it a try in a new North American woodland planting in Sheffield Botanic Gardens. Can anyone suggest a source of seeds or even plants ?  One or two US nurseries do offer it (though most of them seem to have sold out) but the difficulties and costs of importing from the US make that route impractical for us.

[Afloden]

I grow this from my own wild collections, but my plants have not yet recovered well enough from my relatively recent move. Hopefully next year I'll get some seed from my plants.

 It can be a really fantastic garden plant and when happy can be nearly 2 meters tall.

[P. Kohn]

Just don't understand why it hasn't found its way to the UK. If we have no other success in tracking this down. would you be able to send seed next year ?

[Afloden]

If I get seed I should be able to. It is not a common plant in the wild and has a small distribution in the southern Appalachians. I think Aruncus is often confused with it both in gardens and in the herbarium.

[P. Kohn]

Many thanks. WE hadn't realised quite how rare it is in the wild.