There are tall astilbes for herbaceous borders and small ones of rock garden stature, but all prefer cool and damp conditions. They are clump-forming perennials with branched spikes bearing a multitude of tiny flowers, usually pink or white, sometimes red, closely packed together into a fuzzy mass. The multiply divided leaves are also attractive, opening with bronze colouring, and the dried flowers stems can stand through the winter, adding structure for many extra months. See also Filipendula.

Astilbe x simplicifolia 'Willie Buchanan' is one of the smaller varieties, a great plant for a cool place, with dense tufts of finely divided, bronze foliage, and spires of densely packed, very pale pink, tiny flowers.