How to Germinate Astilbe

Astilbe is the genus and common name for a group of flowering plants native to eastern Asia and parts of North America. Species such as false spirea (Astilbe chinensis) are widely cultivated in gardens for their feathery, brightly colored flowers and fernlike leaves, which add visual appeal to shady corners of the garden. Although all varieties of astilbe grow reliably from seeds, germination rates are improved by sowing older, somewhat dried-out seeds, as fresh astilbe seeds are slow to sprout and often rot long before germination occurs.

2-inch-deep nursery tray
Seedling compost or peat moss
Plant mister
Fluorescent lamp
Propagation mat
3.5-inch starter pots
Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Sow astilbe seeds in spring around late February or early March. Germinate the seeds indoors away from cold drafts.
- 2
  Fill a 2-inch deep nursery tray with seedling compost, peat moss or another sterile, low-nutrient growing medium. Make the surface of the growing medium even but do not press it firm.
- 3
  Scatter the astilbe seeds across the surface of the growing medium. Spread two or three astilbe seeds per square inch. Do not bury the seeds since light exposure aids germination.
- 4
  Anchor the astilbe seeds onto the soil by spraying the surface of the growing medium with a plant mister. Keep spraying the growing medium until water pools on the surface and it feels moist at a depth of 1/2 inch.
- 5
  Place the nursery tray near a large window where it will be exposed to a minimum of eight hours of sunlight each day. Position a fluorescent lamp above the nursery tray if a suitably bright location is not available.
- 6
  Keep temperatures around 65 F at all times during germination. Apply supplemental bottom heat using a propagation mat if a suitably warm environment is not available.
- 7
  Mist the astilbe seedlings frequently to keep the top 1/2 inch of soil moderately moist at all times. Avoid letting the surface of the soil dry out for more than a few hours.
- 8
  Watch for germination in three to four weeks. Transplant the astilbe seedlings into individual 3.5-inch starter pots filled with potting soil once they produce a pair of fully formed leaves.

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