Aruncus, 'Dwarf Goatsbeard'

Dwarf Goatsbeard | Aruncus aethusifolius

Height:  12 inches

Spread:  16 inches

Sunlight: part sun to full shade

Hardiness Zone:  3a

Other Names:  Goat's Beard

Brand:  Gertens

Description:

A lovely dwarf with white flower spikes of fern-like foliage. Yellow to orange fall foliage.

Ornamental Features

Dwarf Goatsbeard features dainty spikes of creamy white flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy compound leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Dwarf Goatsbeard is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

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.

Dwarf Goatsbeard is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• Groundcover
• Container Planting
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Dwarf Goatsbeard will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. 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 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 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 species is not originally from North America.

Dwarf Goatsbeard is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.