Thalictrum rochebrunianum is a statuesque meadow rue with lacy blue green foliage and elegant airy sprays of lavender violet flowers accented by bright yellow stamens. Adds vertical interest and a soft romantic texture to shaded gardens
Height & Spread: 4 - 6 ft x 2 - 3 ft
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, rich, well drained soil
Watering Needs: Medium; prefers consistent moisture
Deer Resistance: Generally deer resistant due to its bitter foliage
Native Status
Native to Japan. Though not North American, it is widely cultivated and valued in ornamental shade gardens for its grace and late season bloom.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Visited by butterflies including Painted Ladies and Cabbage Whites for late summer nectar.
Bees
- Pollinated by native bees and hoverflies that are drawn to the open flower clusters.
Hummingbirds
- Occasionally visited due to the airy flower spikes and accessible nectar.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 24 - 36 in apart to allow for tall, airy growth and good air circulation.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for shaded borders, woodland edges, and as a structural accent in mixed perennial beds. Pairs well with hostas, ferns, and astilbes.
Companion Plants
- Astilbe chinensis (Chinese Astilbe) - Offers contrasting dense flower plumes and shares similar shade and moisture preferences.
- Polygonatum odoratum (Solomon’s Seal) - Provides graceful arching foliage and blooms earlier in the season.
- Heuchera villosa (Coral Bells) - Adds low mounds of colorful foliage that pair well with Thalictrum’s upright form.
- Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass) - Softens the base and adds golden highlights to shady compositions.
- Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh) - Blooms later in summer, extending the vertical interest in woodland gardens.