'Cotton Ball' Meadow Rue (Thalictrum)
Perennial
- Dense clusters of wispy white flowers!
- Columnar habit easily adds fluffy texture to small spaces.
- Blooms are long-lasting, even in cut-flower arrangements.
- Deer & rabbit resistant perennial from Proven Winners.
- Zones 5-8, sun/part sun, 38-42" tall x 18-24" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Meadow rue (Thalictrum) is a cottage and prairie garden favorite that looks eclectic in the landscape. While it needs full sun to grow, it prefers some periods of dappled shade, especially in higher temperatures. This perennial is also great for attracting butterflies in pollinator gardens.
Details
Common name: Meadow Rue
Zone: 5 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 38-42"" tall x 18-24"" wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer
Bloom time: Early summer
Features: Rabbit-resistant, deer-resistant, Proven Winners, heat-tolerant, cut-flower
Uses: Background, border, cottage gardening, prairie garden, massing, specimen
How to Grow
Light: Full sun to part sun
Water: Average water needs. Keep soil moist, but not too wet.
Spacing: 2’ feet
Fertilizing: None required; if desired, apply a general-purpose garden fertilizer in early spring.
Winterizing: No special care needed. Many gardeners allow the spent foliage to stand until spring, and remove it when new growth emerges.
Maintenance & Pruning: Pruning is not necessary, but is encouraged to promote blooms an can be done in spring or fall.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.