Filipendula multijuga 'Hjördis' ('Red Umbrellas')

Red Umbrellas Rosaceae

A particularly choice little Meadowsweet, and one that wears its best feature on its leaves rather than its flowers. Filipendula multijuga ‘Hjördis’ forms a compact clump of handsome palmate foliage, each leaf dramatically picked out with deep crimson-maroon veins. From midsummer, wiry stems rise above the foliage carrying airy plumes of soft pink, fragrant flowers — delicate enough to float, but with considerably more presence than their dainty appearance suggests. 

The story behind ‘Hjördis’ is rather charming. The plant was discovered in a Norwegian garden by the Swedish plantsman Ove Jaktlund, who named the selection after the garden’s owner, Hjördis Åkre. Its precise original parent plant is no longer known, making the selection’s survival in cultivation all the more fortunate. 

Grow in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil, preferably in partial shade. It is an excellent plant for the front or middle of a border, particularly where its handsome veining can be appreciated at close quarters. Unlike many Filipendulas, it is well behaved and clump-forming rather than a rampant wanderer.

Height: 50–80cm
Spread: 30–50cm
Flowering: July–September
Hardiness: H6 (-20 to -15°C)
Best conditions: Partial shade; moist, humus-rich but well-drained soil.