The umbel of this
species differs from the normal umbel found on
most members of the carrot family. The
creamy-white center of the umbel is surrounded
by a ruff of petal-like greenish or pinkish
tinged bracts
Late spring to
early summer
Lower leaves are palmately cut, usually
with 5 lobes, each lobe is toothed or cleft The
stem leaves are simple, not as toothed and are
sessile to the stem.
'Rosea' - Bright pink bracts.
'Rubra' - Wine-red flowers, 18 inches.
'Ruby Glow' -
Alan Bloom lists this as a natural hybrid of
A. major x A. rubra. It is
compact and has a good ruby-red flower color.
'Shaggy' - White flower with an extra long collar
of pink bracts. This 24 inches tall selection may be
from Astrantia major ssp. unvolucrata.
It is
also called 'Margery Fish'
'Sunnydale Variegated' - Has
leaves which are splashed and striped with
yellow and cream.
Astrantia is from Greek for
aster, a star and refers to the star-like
umbels.
