I am enthusiastically growing filipendula rubra, laughing manically at warnings of thuggishness - I also am a fan of fluff (and the pinker, the better).

Have grown several Filipendula in a few locations.

My complaint was rather that the fallen petals blanketed their own and the leaves of other plants which made the leaves look temporally moth-eaten.

I currently have Filipendula ulmaria 'Aurea' and F. rubra 'Magnifica' in a relatively contained area. They've been well behaved there for 6 years. On the other hand, the same can certainly not be said for the species Brunnera macrophylla which was planted in the same location.

LOL, thanks Camp--umbellifers and fluff and.....

SB, what do you consider *a relatively contained area*? Do you mean it's in a planter?
I have Venusta Rubra in a dry, shady spot and it's never bloomed. Thanks for sharing.

I seem to be discovering plants I've forgotten I had in and behind other plants as I reacquaint myself with the beds. I was considering moving it into a more moist sunny spot but of course I'm freaked it'll spread aggressively!

I have Filipendula rubra 'Venusta Magnifica' in my Dutch garden and it is a thug. It spreads by rhizomes that are difficult to entirely pull out off the ground. So if you have humus rich soil be prepared .... But I like the flowers and they have a pleasing smell. I must admit that I sometimes love a thug ;)

Is anyone growing 'Filipendula purpurea elegans'? A thug? What do you think of it.

Annette

Prince that is gorgeous! I think a pot is in order after your description of rhizomes!

I grew filipendula rubra venusta at one time. For the first 4-5 years it sat demurely in its assigned spot and bloomed beautifully. Then (having gathered the energy, I presume) it spread vigorously smothering all of its neighbors. I had to laboriously dig it out. Beware!

Gorgeous pictures, glad to hear F. p. ''Elegans" isn't a thug as I just put one in last fall, my first Filipendula. For some unknown reason I seem to be drawn towards thugs, my garden is full of them.
Filipendulas don't seem to be readily available in my neck of the woods, they have to be ordered on line.

Annette

Peren, none of your perennials are runners? Thanks for those great photos!

Calli thanks, that's good to know!

AM, I guess we've been warned LOL!

Catkin, an example below:

House behind, Astrantia major in front, weeping copper beech to the right and a small annuals bed - we typically plant annuals in later May - to the left (picture April 23, 2012, four years after the Filipendula were planted).

I've also planted them in two other gardens; one in a long bed with woodland behind - the woodland tends to invade the perennial bed rather than the other way around and one in an area hemmed in between the end of a deck, a fence and a star mangolia.

So I've been very been very cautious in using Filipendula!

I see now what you meant, SB! Loving your hardscape and brightly colored tulips! Thank you.

Based on recommendations here I got Filipendula ulmaria 'Aurea' to try out.

Here it is not long after planting.

and here it is August 1, virtually denuded by something that ate every leaf down to its stem. Not even slightly attractive, but I will give it another summer, and if this continues, will move it elsewhere in the hopes of getting it away from whomever is eating it. I didn't see any critters on it, but I was away when this occurred. Does anyone else have this issue?

What a shame, that is so frustrating. Hopefully it was a one time occurrence only. Nothing has ever bothered any of my Filipendulas and I have rabbits, groundhogs and deer to contend with.

Aftermidnight, I planted F. purpurea 'Elegans' last June. It's now the first filipendula I've had that survived a winter. It's still short but looking very full. The leaves are attractive: I try to have perennials with attractive leaves, to add interest when not blooming. But 'Red Umbrellas' is beautiful! I love those leaves, how striking!

I got some F. rubra seeds from a friend and wintersowed them. I admit I am a little afraid of planting it based on what I have read. The fact that I have very heavy soil which makes digging vigorous roots up a real pain makes me wonder what I should do with the seedlings...

Thank you for replying everyone.

Yes, GH--we couldn't say we weren't warned! I'm planning on potting mine and giving it more sun--just haven't gotten around to it yet.

"laughing manically at warnings of thuggishness"

Having just spent time yanking dense Filipendula foliage out of a patch of iris where it had promiscuously seeded (and realizing that I will have to dig up the entire patch later to separate out iris tubers from the thick FIlipendula rhizomatous roots that still pervade the area), I am not laughing.

The Filipendula plague is an ongoing struggle.

Ah yes, but it is never going anywhere near a 'real' garden - just fighting it out with the other *bullies on the ditch banks in the woods .

* Hemp agrimony, epilobium, himalayan balsam, valerian and phragmites...you know - the yahoos and oafs of the plant world.

Hey catkin, you got great responses to
this thread except to the question you asked me. Lol!

Do I have any perennials that are
runners? Well yes I do!!

Apart from Filipendula rubra, I have
had and still have some doozies.

I have eradicated the variegated
goutweed from my garden. Whew on getting rid of that one, but I still
have Aegopodium podograria under trees in two separate areas neither
one of which I am responsible for introducing, unlike the variegated
which I brought upon myself.

I thought I had eliminated the Chinese
Lanterns but they reared their heads again so of course I had to wait
for the lanterns to develop before starting to fight them off again.
Those wonderful lanterns being the only redeeming feature.

Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells' is a
nightmare as well as 'Elizabeth'. When I acquired 'Wedding Bells' I
restricted its growth within a large pot sunk into the ground. It
sulked and taunted me but I did not relent and it finally gave it up.
I know if I had unleashed it I would have regretted it.

Campanula glomerata 'Superba' is
attractive but needs to go. It is very aggressive.

Oh and the Ribbon Grass. It is a fairly
easy one to deal with compared to the above.

Boy, I'm tired now just thinking about
all these thugs that need controlling! Lol.

p.s. I forgot a couple of other nasty ones Artemisia 'Oriental Limelight' and my latest scourge is Antennaria (parvifolia) probably. It wants to take over. It is top priority right now since it just started to bloom. Aren't you happy you asked? LOL!

OK, I've been properly terrified... so if anyone in Northern Illinois wants some free F. rubra seedlings please let me know. *laughing, but quite serious about the offer*

Are you are saying that
Filipendula purpurea 'Elegans' pink is not a thug like rubra? I just bought it last year. I am hoping it will actually be pink, the photo peren.all posted make it look white.

Have had mixed success with Filipendula. By far the ulmarias (have aurea & variegated) have surpassed the others. I have a feeling they are a little more tolerant of the dry conditions over here. Kahome was a dwarf variety I tried years ago...terrible rust magnet and stingy bloomer. Red Umbrellas limped along until I put it in a moister/semi-shade situation. Now it is bulking up a little faster.

CMK

greenhearted in our zone at least for me F. r. does not attain thug status. It does not form a tight clump but roams within reasonable parameters in a large garden. Does your clay tend to hold plants in check? Mine are in good loam.

linnea56 Filipendula purpurea 'Elegans' is not a thug at all. The flowers are white, however the stamens are reddish giving the flowers a pink look. Maybe not nearly as pink as some images though lol! It is a terrific plant that I hope you really enjoy, I know I do.

peren.all, thanks for the additional info. I live in farmland territory (surrounded by cornfields) and the ground here is pretty fertile, though it is on the alkaline side which binds up some nutrients (hello, iron chlorosis). My experience is that if a plant can survive the heavy, somewhat slow to drain soil then it tends to take off after its established. But I generally don't try and plant things that require different conditions than what I have.