The Astrantia is a group of flowers that are also known as masterwort. The Astrantias are both beautiful and unusual, and they come in a variety of colors. The flowers look very much like a star or a firework; their abundant blooms float like little pincushions above rosettes of mid-sized, deeply lobed, bright green leaves. Since the Astrantia is related to the carrot, the leaves are similar to that of carrot tops. It is a shade loving perennial that you do not see in many gardens, but you should!
Astrantia grows best in moist soil with plenty of organic material; during dry periods it needs to be watered frequently. It has a height of anywhere from 1 to 2 feet and grows well in zones 4-7.
Use Astrantia in borders or along streams. It makes an excellent cut flower and attracts butterflies. If you want more blooms, remove the old flowers. It flowers from late spring to early summer, and the bracts remain attractive well after blooming.
Astrantia 'Star of Summer' has spectacular purple/red flowers that stand tall above the bright green foliage. Each flower of 'Star of Summer' glows with a starry collar of purple red bracts surrounding a button-like umbel of white.
