Thalictrums are 'see-through' plants. They have heads of many small flowers, usually without petals, so consisting mainly of stamens and giving an airy appearance, aided by the finely divided foliage, often grey-green. So despite the fact that most of them have no colourful flowers, they are most attractive additions to the garden.

Thalictrum uchiyamae is an excellent, relatively new species, with light purple flowers on tall, delicate stems, over attractive, divided foliage.