Elegans Rodgersia
Rodgersia pinnata 'Elegans'
Plant Height: 3 feet
Flower Height: 4 feet
Spacing: 24 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4
Other Names: Featherleaf Rodgersia
Description:
A very architectural plant with exotic-looking leaves and large plumes of light pink flowers that dance over the forest green leaves; keep soil evenly moist, ideal for shady woodland gardens
Ornamental Features
Elegans Rodgersia features bold plumes of shell pink flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer. Its attractive large serrated oval palmate leaves emerge coppery-bronze in spring, turning forest green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous coppery-bronze in the fall. The red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.
Landscape Attributes
Elegans Rodgersia is an herbaceous perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Elegans Rodgersia is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Bog Gardens
Planting & Growing
Elegans Rodgersia will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
