Fingerleaf Rodgersia

Rodgersia aesculifolia
Family: Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage family)
Genus: Rodgersia
Species: aesculifolia

When I was asked to coordinate this plant-of-the-month feature with MG Foundation field trips, I first profiled peonies, in conjunction with your visit in May to A&D Nursery. In June, Master Gardeners travel to Heronswood. Proprietor Dan Hinkley can tell you, in person or through his catalog, much more than I ever could about his plants and his travels to collect them. You’ll see many unusual specimens, including a Rodgersia or two. So, I’ve chosen this, one of the less common members of the plant kingdom, to feature this month.

Rodgersia aesculifolia is a large, herbaceous perennial that grows from slow-creeping rhizomes. It is remarkable for its dramatically handsome leaves, brown when new, unfolding to a rich green with bronze overtones and a crinkled texture. Each of the odd-numbered leaflets can reach 12 inches in length. The entire plant can reach five feet, with an equal spread. Its species name derives from the shape of its leaves, which bear a strong resemblance to those of the buckeye or horse chestnut (Aesculus). In June, five-foot spikes of creamy white, astilbe-like flowers unfurl above the foliage. The Rodgersia genus belongs to the large and interesting Saxifrage family, which also includes the astilbes. They have similar cultural requirements and are visually compatible with astilbes as well as with hostas, ferns, and Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum).

Rodgersia aesculifolia is very useful for wet areas, particularly shady ones, although in our climate it will do fine with full morning sun and dappled shade in the afternoon. It is fully hardy here, seems immune to pests (with the exception of slugs when its shoots emerge in spring) and diseases. Little or no supplemental feeding is required, although your R. aesculifolia will appreciate a fresh helping of compost each spring and fall, along with just a bit of bone meal when you feed your bulbs. The leaf edges of Rodgersia will brown if it is not getting enough water and with the size of its leaves, these signs of distress are hard to miss.

While all species of Rodgersia require a moist, acid soil that is very rich in humus, they differ from each other in leaf form and flower color. The pale green, circular leaves of Rodgersia tabularis normally grow two feet across, but can be as much as three. R. podophylla has large bronze, star-shaped leaves that turn purplish in summer when grown in full sun. R. pinnata has striking divided leaves and deep pink flowers. R. sambucifolia is the smallest in the family. A cautionary note: it is rumored that Rodgersia hybridizes recklessly, which makes proper identification and naming very difficult. When buying this plant, you may be risking species potluck. They are only newly available in local retail nurseries, although specialized growers have been providing them for some time. Rodgersia didn’t even appear in the Sunset Western Garden Book until the 1995 edition. This is not to say Rodgersia was only recently discovered and cataloged…no, indeed. Native to China, it is widely grown in Europe and in Canada, and it was prominently featured in many Victorian gardens. There were very few outlets for creativity in that era, so Victorians tended to paint their architecturally detailed houses in no less than ten colors and delighted in exotic—some would even say, weird—plants in their crystal houses and arboretums. They favored the lush, primeval look of Rodgersia along with Gunnera (commonly called “dinosaur food” by a curator at Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum), Acanthus mollis (bear’s breech) and Aruncus (goat’s beard). Big guys, all, and certainly not your basic raw material for a dainty tussy-mussy. As interest is rekindled in the charms of foliage and texture in the landscape, more and more gardeners are turning to add punctuation to their outdoor designs. Ann Lovejoy and others have led the way. Her essays offer much information about incorporating the unusual.

Rodgersia can be grown from seed, if you’re very patient…or you can propagate them by digging and dividing clumps in early spring or fall. They are also available, of course, from establishments such as Heronswood, where you can view them during your visit in June.

The essence of Rodgersia aesculifolia is reputed to nurture balance in the heart, while staying open to the unfolding of one’s own growth. It is said to promote unity within the self and with all life, relieve any sense of separation, and encourage acceptance of one’s pace of growth. Fitting, for this plant…its pace of growth amazes all who witness it.