Because we had such a cold start to spring my perennials grew very slowly in April and early May. One benefit was that I could spot perennials that needed digging and dividing long before they grew too big and unmanageable.
But oh did I miss one. This is an astilbe I have growing under some ornamental shrubs:
The photo doesn’t do it justice, so I got a plant stake and stuck it in the middle of the clump with a men’s large glove hanging from it to give you some perspective:
I don’t even know the cultivar for my out-of-control astilbe. I rummaged around in the foliage for a plant tag, but I’m afraid the behemoth may have eaten it. The surrounding plants and shrubs are all leafed-out and lush, so it’s too late too divide the leviathan without making a big mess.
That chore will have to wait until fall or next spring when I can probably divide it into 6 or 8 or, perhaps by then, 340 new astilbe plants.