Flowers · Perennials and shrubs
Masterwort
Astrantia major
A clump-forming perennial with pincushion flowers in greenish white or dusty pink, held above divided leaves. It likes a cool root run and will not enjoy a hot dry bank.
Growing conditions
Soilclay, loam
Moisturemoist
pHneutral, alkaline
Position
SunPartial sun, Full sun
Aspectnorth, east, south, west
Exposuresheltered
HardinessH7
Size
Time to maturityFlowers from the first or second summer
Max height0.6–0.9 m
Max spread0.4–0.5 m
In the garden
Plant in autumn or spring and water during the first summer. Cut faded stems to encourage a later scatter of flowers, and divide every few years.
Slugs can mark young leaves. Powdery mildew shows up if the plant is starved of water.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | — | — |
| Summer | Leaves | greenish pink | — |
| Autumn | Leaves | — | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
- JanDormant
- FebDormant
- MarDormant
- AprFoliage
- MayFoliage
- Jungreenish pink
- Julgreenish pink
- Auggreenish pink
- SepFoliage
- OctDormant
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
20 March
Mulch
Mulch masterwort while the soil is damp so the clump does not dry out in June.
5 August
Cut faded stems
Remove spent flower stems to tidy the clump and prompt a smaller second show.