Astilbes are rhizomatous flowering plants in the genus Astilbe and family Saxifragaceae native to the Asian and North American woodlands and mountain ravines with common species having names such as false spirea or false goat’s beards.
As hardy herbaceous perennial with dense feathery plumes of flowers and lovely fern-like foliage, and because they can tolerate shade, water-logged areas, or on clay soil, they may be one of the ornamentals you may want to grow. Will rabbits eat them or not?
If you happen to grow them in your garden, flower bed, around your swimming pools, or anywhere you may be concerned if rabbits can damage or eat them. The good news is, rabbits don’t eat astilbes.
Astilbes are rabbit resistant, together with lantana, yarrow, sweet alyssum, pot marigolds, wax begonia, snapdragon, geraniums, iris, catmint, daffodil, corolla bell, lupines, among others. Note that some of these plants may be toxic to your rabbits.
Therefore, expect bunnies and deer to avoid Astilbes and instead target others such as roses, impatiens, nasturtiums, and petunias, which they like.
More about Astilbes
Besides their aesthetic appeal, some astilbes’ flowers have a delightful aroma while others, such as Astilbe rivularis, have traditional medicinal value.
Astilbe cultivar groups include Crispa, Japonica, Simplicifolia, and Arendsii. On the other hand, while popular cultivars while their popular cultivars are Brautschleier, Bronce elegans, mauve, Purpurlanze, Fanal, Rheinland, Sprite, Perkeo, Straussenfeder, and A. chinensis var. pumila.
Finally, these rabbit and deer resistant flowering plants may have white, pink, pale pink, violet, or deep red flowers, and they will attract various beneficial insects, including butterflies.