Thalictrum lucidum
Shining meadow rue is named for its leaves, which are narrow, deeply cut and glossy dark green rather than the matt blue-grey of most of the genus. They turn clear yellow in autumn. Above them stand tall upright stems topped with dense fluffy heads of creamy yellow flowers, faintly scented and made up almost entirely of fine stamens. Flowering comes in December and January.
The upright habit makes this a tidier plant than the arching meadow rues, so it holds its place in a border rather than leaning into its neighbours. Use it in the middle or back of a bed, beside a pond, or through a damp naturalistic planting. Bees and hoverflies work the flower heads, and the stems cut well.
Plant it in an open position or light shade, in soil that holds moisture through summer, with compost dug in on lighter ground. It is deciduous and disappears entirely over winter, so mark the position. Space plants 50 cm apart and divide the clump in early spring every three or four years to keep it flowering strongly.
Grows 0.8 to 1.5 m high, spreading to about 0.5 m.
Trimming: Cut stems to ground level after the foliage colours and dies down in autumn. No summer pruning is needed, and shortening the stems mid-season simply removes the flower heads.
Deadheading: Not worth doing. The heads age to a soft brown that suits the plant, and the seed adds a little late interest before the whole thing dies back.
Fertilising: Feed as the first shoots appear, using a balanced slow-release fertiliser under a compost mulch. Steady feeding shows up directly in stem height and the size of the flower heads.
Watering: Water regularly through summer. Of the meadow rues this one is among the least tolerant of dry soil, and a plant left dry produces stunted stems that do not recover that season.
Pest Control: Molluscs on the emerging shoots are the usual issue, particularly in the damp conditions this plant prefers. Aphids appear on flower stems occasionally.
Disease Management: Rust and powdery mildew can mark the foliage in humid weather or on congested clumps. Divide regularly, allow space between plants, and clear all dead growth in autumn.
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