Unusual plants like compact ‘Evening Star’ meadow rue (Thalictrum ichangense) make your garden more interesting. ‘Evening Star’ is a colorful companion to other shade-lovers and sends up sprays of delicate bronze stems with tufts of lavender-pink flowers starting in midspring. Check out the inset for a closer look at the starlike flowers. The peak bloom is early summer, but it often holds onto flowers into late summer. You can cut stems of these pretty flowers to add to vases, too. New foliage emerges copper-bronze and transitions to olive-green and a rich blue-green with silver veins as it matures.
In most areas this plant grows best in part to full shade and moist, well-drained soil that’s enriched with compost. A spot that gets morning sun is best.
Type Perennial Blooms Lavender-pink from midspring to late summer Light Part to full shade Soil Moist, well-drained Pests None serious Size 10 to 15 in. tall and wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 5 to 9 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
