False-buck’s-beard

False-buck’s-beard, in damp woods, Wayford, Somerset

Arching flower stems

Flowers, small petals and protruding anthers

Pinnate, toothed leaves
Astilbe japonica
False Spirea
Saxifragaceae
May to July
It is thinly and widely scattered, but is more common in the
Northwest of the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for False-buck’s-beard
It is a neophyte which is widely grown in UK gardens and
amenity areas.
It is variously described as a cultivated escape, a garden thug
and naturalised, in several botanical sources.
The escape is thought to have arisen from garden throw-outs,
which have become naturalised in damp places.
False-buck’s-beard is a showy, perennial herd, growing up to 1m.
The flowers are on arching flower stems of up to 30cm.
Individual flowers are quite small and have protruding anthers.
The petals are creamy-white and are longer than the sepals.
The leaves are pinnate, strongly veined, toothed and dark green.
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