General Culture:
Best grown in rich, humusy, consistently moist soils in part shade. Leaf margins may brown if soils are allowed to dry out. Deadhead spent flower stalks after bloom. Propagate by division or seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Rodgersia aesculifolia, sometimes commonly called fingerleaf rodgersia, is a bold, clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial that grows to 3-5’ tall and as wide. It is a substantial plant that will naturalize by thick black rhizomes. It is native to moist woods and stream banks in China. Although the flowers are attractive, the large, crinkled, coarsely-toothed, palmate, dark green, basal leaves (to 12” across) with bronze tinting are often the main reason gardeners grow this plant. Leaves resemble the leaves of the horsechestnut (Aesculus), hence the species name. Each leaf usually has seven leaflets. From June to August, creamy white (sometimes light pink) apetalous flowers bloom in large, astilbe-like, terminal panicles (to 18-24” long) atop stems rising well above the foliage. Flowers are fragrant. Distinctive brown hairs cover the flower stalks, stems and leaf margins of this plant. Genus name honors American Admiral John Rodgers who commanded a mid-1800s expedition to China and Japan where Rodgersia podophylla was collected.
Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses:
Best naturalized in part shade areas with consistent soil moisture. Grows well in moist woodland gardens, bog gardens, water garden peripheries or along stream banks. Can be effectively grown in the back of the border as long as soil moisture requirements can be met.
© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2010
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