Astrantia major

Astrantia major is in the family Apiaceae and is a flowering plant, native to central and eastern Europe. Their common name says it all – the Great Masterwort.

 

As an herbaceous perennial plant, Astrantia lives for more than 2 years and have no woody stem. They can grow to 90cm tall by 45cm across. Astrantia grow in clumps with leaves that grow from the base of the branched, wiry stems. They bloom with lovely clusters of tiny flowers in white to deep purplish red which open in the middle of summer and last until October. The pollinators in your garden will thank you for planting Astrantia! It’s nectar and pollen rich flowers mean that this plant is great for attracting butterflies, bees, moths, and more. In order to get the best growth from your Astrantia major you should fertilise it once or twice per year. If your garden experiences any times of drought you need to water this plant frequently or it may not survive. Your Astrantia needs to be grown in fertile moist soil that is houmous rich, in sun or partial shade. To prevent your Astrantia from self-seeding (which they are prone to do!) you need to deadhead them before the seed is ripe.

 

It is important to note that this plant is not pet and baby safe – something that you need to think about before adding these to your garden. The good news is that this plant is resistant to slugs and snails however it could be affected by Astrantia leaf miner, and powdery mildew may be troublesome.