Sorry, but in my experience, you'll see them about a month before they turn crispy. That's maybe a slight exaggeration, but not much. I have tried them twice, in shade, and both times, they cooked.
Jim

Yep, even up here in North Central Texas astilbes have always been a bust for me. Tried them 3 times and gave it up. Hope you have better luck, but be prepared......

They should be coming up soon...I'm seeing some popping up..Bossjim..if they are turning crispy..you have them in too much sun..they need to be in moist bed with morning/filtered light only..they can't take our hot summer sun...Jeanne

Jim..I noticed your zone.!!.no wonder..you need to water those more during Hot August...Jeanne

I've been reading this thread with interest. I've never grown any, but a couple of weeks ago I planted three in a bed that gets almost total shade.

Do they usually bloom much the first year? When do they usually bloom?

As to the last issue that seems to have come up, I guess the good news for me is that its a fairly small bed and can be given extra watering without much trouble. If they are real finnicky that way, though, and need a drink once or twice a day when its hot, they are doomed already around my place. The only place I water that much is around my little fountain.

Anybody who has seen pics of Jim's gardens can see that Jim doesn't need to do anything he isn't already doing. The zone range for most astilbes is 3-7, so I don't think the issue in his garden is shade or water - in Jim's case it is temperature (that was my problem too). So I think rcnaylor in Lubbock might have some better luck with astilbe. Whenever I see a plant that is good to zone 3, I can pretty much bet that in most of Texas it's not gonna be happy.

Jeanne, really the only reason that I responded is because the person who initiated this thread is within 40 miles or so of me, and in our zone, I don't think they have a chance.
The real problem is that the nurseries, especially the box stores, keep offering them every spring. They sell lots of lupines down here also.
Jim

I planted several varieties of astilbes for the first time when I lived in MD which is also zone 7 (as I still like to think I'm in here in TX). However, THAT zone 7 was a completely different climate than I currently have. We definitely did not have the continuing intense heat one gets in TX, even in Houston.

The astilbes did well for me - in Maryland - blooming in the first season they were planted and thriving throughout the growing season. They overwintered just fine and bloomed again the next season (then we moved).

They were shaded in the summer under a high canopy of the edge of a forest; a true woodland environment. They received dappled shade in the spring before the trees totally leafed out. The ground was low spot where runoff accumulated so it stayed evenly moist, but not flooded.

I did find that I wanted them to bloom longer. From seeing the first beginnings of blooms to them becoming dried took probably less than a month. I think I may have needed to mass them more, as the blooms didn't make the kind of big impact I was looking for. They were nice when you walked close by but not that noticeable from a distance...and our house was maybe 80' away.

If you have a moist area that stays shaded in summer, they might survive in that cooler space.

I by no means whatsoever meant to Imply that Jim didn't know what he was doing or saying..I was just trying to help offer a solution that might work for him to grow them...hopefully mine will come back and flourish because it seems I am pushing the envelope myself when it comes to trying to get them to flourish here in my zone 8 B....Jeanne

No offense taken Jeanne. We are all just trying to help each other.
Jim

I like Astilbe. I have even had it return in my garden. Sometimes it blooms the first year and sometimes it doesn't. I am trying it in a container this year. I haven't decided what I will do with during the HOT part of summer. It does go dormant in heat. I wish I had a cool cellar or something like that,and I might try putting it up during July and August. I find myself thinking of it more like an annual here.
Mary

Jim..thanks for taking my post in the manner to which it was meant!!..Hugzzzz...Happy Gardening...Jeanne

I have been avoiding this thread because I like astilbes so much!

We used to live in Virginia and had the most beautiful drift of astilbes, in a perfect spot. I can honestly say they were close to my favorite plants while we gardened up there. Moving to Texas, I just knew they would not grow here. I had never seen them anywhere but up north.

I miss having astilbes so much, I almost can't stand to talk about them.

Someone could really raise the joy level on a BUNCH of Texas gardeners - and probably make a lot of money too - if they could come up with some kind of astilbe that would grow in these parts!

Before I move to Texas, we live a year in Minnesota. Astilbes beatiful there. I have ask around about growing them here and most people have sayed to not waste time and money. Most plant people advice growig plants that can take very, very much heat in most of Texas and let people in North US enjoy astilbes, dahilas, and flowers that like cooler weather.
Lady down road from us sayes to plant them only if you won't to enjoy them for 3 or 4 weeks before they burn up.

Reading this thread and would love to know if anyone has some "tried and true" perennial suggestions for hot, shady to part-shade areas. I'm in zone 8B, in Austin, Texas. I'm not new to gardening, but am new to shade or woodland gardening in sunny, hot Texas. Our house has several very tall oak trees that seem to be taking out the sunny garden areas more each year. It's tough since most of the pretty plants with big flowers either seem to need acidic soil, which we don't have -- ours is very heavy alkaline clay and limestone, or they need sun, and my yard is pretty much 1/2 day to full day filtered shade. Any advice (or good resources) are appreciated. Thanks! Robin

Robin, It is best to start your own thread about your questions. You will get more responses. Just copy and paste it . the thread starter is on the top of the Texas forum page.