Height: 4 feet
Spread: 3 feet
Sunlight: part sun to shade
Hardiness Zone: 2a
Other Names: Goat's Beard
Ornamental Features
Goatsbeard has masses of beautiful spikes of white flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy compound leaves remain emerald green in colour throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Goatsbeard is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. 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.
Goatsbeard is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Bog Gardens
Planting & Growing
Goatsbeard will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years.
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. 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 species is not originally from North America.