Splendide 2014

I show this plant in full bloom to encourage other DG members to find room for it in their garden (it takes up only vertical space being close to 9 feet tall to the tip of the flowers but occupies very little of the more valuable horizontal space as this one shown is maybe 2' across at ground level).

It can take a wide array of sun conditions from part shade to full sun (at least in a zone 5).

It is very hardy, easily returning each spring

I would love to see more pictures of other Splendides of DG members.

Who has it in their garden?

This message was edited Aug 22, 2014 7:50 AM

Beautiful. Is its "stem" hard like a shrub or soft like a plant? Is it perennial or a re-seeder? Where did you find it?

Splendide, indeed!

Gorgeous! Any special feeding to encourage the spectacular bloom?

It is a Thalictrum. Plant Delights currently lists it as unavailable

(Sorry, I should have included the genus ie it is a Thalictrum as "hostages" had mentioned)..

It is a soft stemmed herbaceous perennial with no reseeding which is in bloom for over 4 weeks.

It does like a rich soil but I do not special feed it beyond lots of compost throughout the season.

(I am keeping my eye out for a "Splendide WHITE" but as far as I can tell it hasn't yet reached NAmerica.)

This message was edited Aug 24, 2014 1:15 PM

Am definitely adding it to my "want" list.

I wonder if it would recover from a "Chelsea Chop" in mid June or so?

I love this plant but it would open up more options if it would still give all those wonderful blooms but at a lower height.

I am too afraid to do this experiment for if it didn't work I would miss a whole season of it in bloom. It is one of my garden highlights.

"The Well-Tended Perennial Garden" book says Thalictrums can be pinched or cut back when one half their mature size (which you now know) which is sometime in late May or early June for the author who gardens a bit south of you in Ohio. She also says they can be cut to the ground after flowering. I would say give it a try, maybe if you are worried about losing blooms for that year try it when the plant is 1/4 to 1/3 of ultimate height, so it has time to recover and bloom in your shorter growing season.

Thanks for this info 'mimi'...good to know.

(Last year I didn't cut it back totally to the ground and here it is after our infamous ice storm of late December 2013).

You could try an experiment with chopping only half the plant back and see how it recovers. Might look funny for a while but it's a one-time experiment.

Well you've certainly sold me, rouge21! Wow.

I thought I would post one last picture (taken today) before it starts its inevitable decline as Autumn approaches.

(This particular Thalictrum has been in flower for 4 weeks).


This message was edited Sep 3, 2014 5:45 PM

WOW.

Wow, that thing is gorgeous!! Do you have to stake it at all?

Thanks everyone. We love this plant. And we do stake it extensively (I have 3 stakes around it). It is the only drawback of this plant.