“That’s a lovely astilbe.” I paused to study an addition to my friend’s garden. “It’s new, isn’t it? How did you get it to grow so quickly?”
“实际上，”她说(带着她惯有的狡黠笑容)。“这不是新妇花——尽管它确实有点像新妇花。它被称为山羊胡子，但也有人叫它雄鹿胡子或新娘的羽毛。”
“Goatsbeard. How did they come up with that name?”
“It’s the long, feathery clusters of cream-colored flowers. Growing on branchy spikes make them appear like a goat’s beard.”
“Really?” She nodded, pleased with her comparison. I shrugged my shoulders, unconvinced. It didn’t matter. I was sold. Goatsbeard was another plant to add to my ever-growing wish list, and find a suitable location in my garden.
Aperennial plant, goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) is part of the Rosaceae family. It’s long, compound leaves on thin, stiff steams topped with feathery creamy white flowers in the summer, give it the appearance of the astilbe. But this plant is a real spreader — which is good if you have a bare spot where little else prospers (as I do).
And it grows tall, sometimes as tall as 8 feet. It doesn’t divide or transplant well, so it’s best to plant it in a location where it can spread (which it does with its creeping rhizomes) up to 6 feet across. It’s definitely a showy plant and I knew exactly where I wanted mine.
This bushy, clump-forming perennial does well in organically rich, fertile soils, medium to wet. It doesn’t like dry soil, so I’d have to take extra care of mine during the summer drought that plagues us every year.
Since it prefers woodland conditions, I shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right place in my partially wooded lot. Although it does well in full sun, if you’re concerned about extreme heat and drought (as I am), it also does well in partial shade where the soil may not dry out as quickly.
Goatsbeard is easy to grow and makes an excellent backdrop to a shady, moist garden plot. It serves well as a hedge since it grows so big and bushy, and it makes an elegant border to a water garden. It’s fairly pest and disease free, although it does attract sawflies. And, it’s deer and rabbit resistant. I’ll monitor it when the deer appear in late spring and summer and see if the sources are right. The last time I was assured of a deer resistant plant, the deer demolished it in less than a day.
The plant is noninvasive and pretty much stays where it’s planted, unless the gardener spreads seeds around the original plant to expand the plot.
有几种植物是山羊胡子的好伙伴。
- Astilbe
- Monkshood
- Ferns (which I don’t like as these are invasive in my area)
- Wild ginger
- Wild geranium
- 一粒(我有很多)
- Columbine (which I also have in abundance)
- Hostas(which I also have in abundance)
- Virginia bluebells
- Jacob’s ladder
- Bloodroot
It would appear that goatsbeard would be a welcome addition to any of my garden plots.
令人惊讶的是，也许不是，这种植物原产于阿拉斯加中南部和其他地方。它从种子开始长得很好，所以开花后一定要剪短。
Another interesting tidbit, the plant is dioecious. In other words, there are distinctmale and female plants. How do you tell them apart? Well, the male plant is the showier of the two, with wispy cream blooms. This is good to know since garden centers don’t necessarily sell the plant as either male or female. If you’re particular about which gender you want, it’s best to shop for the plant when it’s in bloom.
当山羊胡子花期结束时，高大细长的山羊很可能会倒下。然而，这可以增加秋冬季节这种植物的视觉吸引力。你可以在花花完后立即剪掉茎，也可以留到春天。只是要确保在下一个花季之前减少。
Other Goatsbeard Varieties
There are different varieties of goatsbeard, some which don’t grow as tall.
Dwarf Goatsbeard
Dwarf goatsbeard (Aruncus aethusifolius) is a Japanese variety that is diminutive in comparison to most goatsbeard varieties. This one only grows about 8 to 12 inches in height. Its blooming season is about two weeks before the larger goatsbeard, and it has ivory flowers. Makes a great edging plant for a shady garden border.
Kneifii Goatsbeard
Kneifii goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus kneifii) is another smaller variety. This one grows about 3 feet in height. It has 18-inch stems with creamy white flowers.
Easy to grow, low maintenance, pest-free and deer and rabbit resistant — what more could a country gardener ask? My preference would be the larger variety of goatsbeard. It’s a must-have for my garden.
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