Astrantia major Primadonnais native to mountain meadows, grasslands, woodland clearings and along streams in Europe and western Asia. Plants grow in mounded clumps up to 1½ feet high and spread by stolons. The 3-6″ long leaves have 3-7 deeply divided lobes and toothed edges and the medium green foliage remains attractive throughout the season. Primadonna blooms June-August with dense, compact, domed compound umbels about an inch across on the ends of wiry stems held well above the basal foliage. Numerous showy, papery, petal-like bracts surround a group of many tiny, tightly packed flowers for a pincushion-like effect in starry, purple red. The bracts usually remain attractive well after the flowers finish blooming and are excellent in dried arrangements. They can be used as fresh cut flowers as well. Deadheading may encourage continued bloom. The spent foliage and flower stems can be cut back in fall or left for interest through the winter. Astrantia adds interest in perennial beds and borders, cottage gardens, and shade or woodland gardens where they can be viewed up close so their small, exotic-looking flowers can be appreciated. The relatively fine textured foliage provides good contrast to hostas and other large-leaved plants. Combine astrantia with astilbe, ligularia, ferns and hostas in the shade or with ornamental grasses in sunnier areas. Astrantia grows best in part shade in rich, continuously moist soil with plenty of organic material. Ideal conditions are where the plant receives a few hours of morning sun and dappled shade for the rest of the day. The plants grown in full shade will not bloom very prolifically. This species does not tolerate dry soil, so must be irrigated if rain is insufficient to keep the soil moist. It is fairly adaptable, and will even tolerate some standing water, so could be included on the edge of a bog garden.  It does best in cool climates where night temperatures consistently dip below 70ºF, so is very suitable for most of the Upper Midwest. Plants can be fertilized in early spring and again at mid-summer but probably is not necessary in rich soils.

A Northern Sunset Perennial, it prefers rich, moist to well-drained soil in part sun to part shade.

Image courtesy of Jelitto Staudensamen GmbH