Hi, I've got all my seeds going again this year but the slugs got all my seedlings last year (astilbe too) I can't find the variety I got last year and would really love it if someone has the "fanal" or "bressingham bueaty" variety that they can spare a few seeds from? However I will take any red of pink variety, My trade list isn't updated however I have: "Blue" mixed hostas white balloon flower -variety unknown Dwarf foxy foxglove Red amaranthe fat spike amaranthe hot biscuits amaranthe butterfly weed angelica gigas blue star columbine Mckana's giant mix columbine tequila sunrise columbine chabaud giant red carnations dwarf beaty phlox summer berry yarrow cherries jubilee achillea (yarrow) lots of sweet william Pastel alyssum trailing soapwort mixed foxglove

it is a weed.. and since its vigor will outstrip the astilbe.. you might want to remove it.. before it sucks the life out of the favored plant ... competing for water and nutrients i mean.. dont be literal on me.. lol ... ken

Well I feel much better knowing others have had this happen. I was happy to see them come back, but afraid there would be some permanent damage because of this. Honestly, I can't blame them for going dormant. Even I mostly stayed in my air conditioned room as much as possible during the heat wave. So glad its over, and hopefully we won't get another one again this summer. I wish I would have discovered Astilbes years ago. I don't think the local greenhouse where I lived had any - they had mostly sun plants. It was a small business (couldn't even accept credit cards) and they had very healthy plants, but I live about an hour away now. The main plant I focused on trying to get was a hydrangea, and I was eventually given one...about 8 months before I knew I was moving. I transplanted it to my dad's house and hoped for the best. It is now gone. Dad said it must have died, except his girlfriend has a pond there now and she is the type to throw away things because they are/were mine (which is why I don't visit my dad more often). I've got a Nikko Blue now, but its so tiny it will be awhile before I see flowers (with my luck, it will probably be right before I move again). The Astilbes were the first plants I planted in my current garden. I think next spring I'll add a couple more.

The 'ASTILBE' type weed is commonly known as " golden rod". you do not want to keep it, as it will spread and become very invasive. The other weed is of the buttercup family, and will also sprout all over the place. you will need to dig out the roots of these 2 weed types. Here is a link that might be useful: organic gardening.