Goatsbeard for the Shade Garden
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) flowers
Goatsbeard makes a great hardy perennial for the shade garden. I grow the tall Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) and the short Aruncus aethusifolius (dwarf Korean goatsbeard) in my garden. Other than having similarly shaped cream coloured flower plumes, the plants are very different looking.
Aruncus Aethusifolius (dwarf goatsbeard) red stems
The tiny Aruncus aethusifolius grows about 30 cm (a foot) around. The attractive foliage is very finely cut, like a fern. This plant has a very neat mounding shape. These dwarf goatsbeard get small cream coloured plumes over top of the lacy foliage, which makes for an appealing package for the front of the garden bed.
Aruncus Aethusifolius (dwarf goatsbeard) leaves closeup
These plants are new this year, but I used to grow this plant a few years ago. Through unfortunate timing, I moved the plants in summer, and then went away on vacation for a month. That’s a good recipe for unhappy plants, and the old plants never recovered. The little blue flower is from a Brunnera.
Aruncus Aethusifolius (dwarf goatsbeard) and Brunnera
Here is an Aruncus aethusifolius in front of a Brunnera macrophylla. The more delicate foliage of the dwarf goatsbeard looks great with the large, heart-shaped Brunnera leaves, and both do fine in the shade garden.
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) flower spikes
Aruncus dioicus, the tall goatsbeard, makes a great plant for the back of the shady border, or a corner. Mine are about 2 metres (6 feet) tall and about 1.5 m (5 feet across). The tall flower plumes are the most striking feature of these plants. These light colours especially catch the eye in the shade of the garden. Although the flowers only last for 3 weeks or so, they make a good spectacle when they are blooming. For the rest of the season, the goatsbeard works as a green backdrop to other plants in the garden. The foliage is much coarser than the dwarf goatsbeard. The bottom leaves cover the ground well, and I don’t get any weeds trying to grow through them.
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) new red spring shoots
In spring, the new shoots of goatsbeard are particularly attractive as they emerge with bright red stems. It doesn’t take long for these to grow to their full height.
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) fluffy plumes
The plumes on this A. dioicus are fluffier than my other one. Since the goatsbeards have separate male and female plants (dioecious), I think these are the male flowers. These extra fluffy flowers are very similar to the astilbes which will soon be flowering.
The above plant is the Aruncus dioicus that I accidentally turned into a bonsai. Neither tall, nor dwarf, it occupies a middle layer in the garden. This poor plant originally had a deep shade location, but it never grew more than 45 cm (1.5 feet), so I moved it to a medium shade area. Goatsbeard are not keen on being moved, and it sulked for the last 3 summers, not growing over 60 cm (2 feet). Although there are crosses that are midway in height, this one is a result of nurture, not nature. I think the combination of neglected childhood plus move has stunted this plant. This year at last, it has flowers for the first time. I wouldn’t advise moving a dioicus goatsbeard, since they don’t appreciate it, and if the roots are already established, you won’t either.
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) off white plume
Here is a flowers spike of a tall goatsbeard at my garden gate, with a white flowering mockorange shrub further down the walkway behind. This garden area gets a couple hours of direct sun. Which seems to be enough for the Aruncus.This photo makes me laugh, since behind the mockorange, the garden seems to disappear into a black hole. It’s not really that dark back there, just a little shady. :)
Both of these goatsbeards make great garden plants, and do well in medium shade. I appreciate the tall Aruncus dioicus for its dramatic flower sparklers, which tower at head height. I particularly like the dwarf Aruncus aethusifolius for its neat shape, beautiful leaves, and miniature flower wands.
More photos and information about goatsbeard perennials can be found in this post.
They have such lovely foliage too as well as interesting flowers.
Joanne, the dwarf goatsbeard, particularly has nice foliage, they are a fresh green colour and lacy. They keep the red stems for a while too.
I have Aruncus dioicus ‘Knieffii’ which is a dwarf. Mine’s in its second year and is about 14 inches tall and 16 inches wide. I will have to look for the dwarf you mention – I love the foliage.
Kim, Aruncus aethusifolius, the dwarf goatsbeard, has very appealing leaves, and a nice, rounded mound shape. It makes a nice contrast to more solid, large leafed plants.
I’ll have to try it in my garden. I love finding plants that I have not used before. Blogging is so great.
Donna
MNGarden. I like both of these perennials, although they have different uses in the garden. I’m looking forward to having the little dwarf goatsbeard bloom in my garden again. I gave it a very shady spot with root competition, so we’ll see how it does.
Hello NS ! I have both of these plants and they are gorgeous, tall or dwarf habit .. I have 2 of each in different locations and the tall ones do make a dramatic impact .. one with Purple Leaf Sand Cherry and one with miscanthus Purple Flame .. they seem to compliment each other nicely . I can’t imagine having a garden without them now : )
I really find that interesting how your did an almost Bonsi ? trick to one of them .. a new cultivar ? LOL .. can I have one too please ?
Joy
Joy, it’s too bad that I don’t see the goatsbeard in bloom when they are for sale, as the one with the fluffier flowers is even more good looking, but I don’t think you can tell them apart until they bloom.
My shortened one is like a krummholz, the little stunted trees you see at the snowline. Every time I see it, it gives a little glare, and sends a message, ” You should have planted me in a better site to begin with.”
I’m making a new bed in front, and I’m thinking of adding some dwarf Korean goatsbeard to it.
Hi there NS! I have both types of Aruncus as well! The dwarf is so cute, isn’t it? I just planted that last Spring and it’s beginning to fill out. I’m sorry I’ve forgotten where you are, but you seem to be a little north of me as my plants finished blooming awhile ago… Love my visits here. :-)
Thanks for an education in goatsbeard; I’m going to tweet this so other people can find it. I’ve seen goatsbeard in catalogues but even the best catalogues aren’t great at showing and describing every aspect, never mind their cultural preferences (I do wish you’d told us which kind of opera they prefer, though ;) ).
Thanks too for the companion-plant suggestions in both post and comments. I’m still learning to be more conscious of the foliage thing. Aruncus isn’t something I’d seriously considered before for my small garden, but it’s certainly going to get some consideration now.
Shady Gardener, I’m in Edmonton, Alberta, about 500 km (300 miles) north of the Montana border. My plants’ flowering times are probably behind yours, but this summer, they’re even behind my regular bloom dates. I keep track on a chart, and most are a week or 2 later than last year.
The little dwarf goatsbeard is very appealing. I might add some to a new front bed I’m planting right now.
Pomona, the little dwarf Aruncus aethusifolius is a good choice for a small garden, and easy to squeeze in. The tall goatsbeard does need some room to stretch its stems. I have one of mine in a corner by my gate, to one side of my house. There is a difference in the appearance of the male and female flowers, with one of them being more showy, but I’ve never seen them offered separately.
Thanks from me, too, for the information. I sometimes see this in catalogs and it looked interesting, but along with lots of other things, I never know what scale they are, how dense they grow, and how easy/difficult they are. That’s what garden blogs are for.
Swimray, I’ve found the Aruncus dioicus to be easy to grow, but you do have to give it some room. It gives some substance to the shade border, as there is a smaller number of tall shade plants to choose from. I just got some more of the dwarf, A. aethusifolius for a new front garden area that I’m planting.