Astelia 'Silver Shadow' 23cm / 5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Astelia 'Silver Shadow' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Astelia 'Silver Shadow' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Silver Astelia

Astelia 'Silver Shadow'

£34.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingShade-tolerantEvergreen
Pot size
23cm / 5L £34.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

Astelia 'Silver Shadow' carries some of the most reflective foliage of any hardy perennial: broad, arching swords in gleaming, almost white metallic silver that light up a border the way water catches sun. This selected hybrid forms a poised evergreen clump to around a metre, tidier than the big species astelias but every bit as luminous.

Like all astelias it hails from New Zealand, where these plants grow from windswept coasts to mountain forest, and that heritage shows in its salt tolerance and easy-going nature. It is the plant we reach for when a scheme of hardy exotics needs a shot of pure light between greens and purples.

How and where to grow

  • Position: full sun to light shade, sheltered; the silver is brightest in good light.
  • Soil: fertile, free-draining; enrich with organic matter and avoid winter wet.
  • Size: to around 1 m tall and wide.
  • Hardiness: H3, to about -5C. Sharp winter drainage matters more than cold.

Use it in gravel and drought-tolerant plantings, in coastal gardens, or in a generous container where the arching blades reach eye level; it is one of the finest plants for pots we grow. Compare it with the bolder 'Silver Spear' and the bronze-red 'Westland' to complete the metallic trio.

Nursery-grown and scarce; we hold only a couple of plants at a time. Our seasonal expectations guide covers winter care honestly.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Silver Astelia

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Silver Astelia

Astelia 'Silver Shadow' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Architectural Coastal & Exposed Dry & Gravel Gardens Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

Rated H3, to around -5C. Happy outdoors year round in mild and coastal gardens; elsewhere give sharp winter drainage, mulch the crown and fleece in hard frost, or grow in a pot moved under cover. Read moreShow less

Rated H3, to around -5C. Happy outdoors year round in mild and coastal gardens; elsewhere give sharp winter drainage, mulch the crown and fleece in hard frost, or grow in a pot moved under cover.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingShelteredExposed
Full sun to partial shade, sheltered from cold winds. The silver is brightest in good light. Read moreShow less

Full sun to partial shade, sheltered from cold winds. The silver is brightest in good light.

Soil

LoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Fertile, free-draining soil enriched with organic matter. Dislikes winter wet. Read moreShow less

Fertile, free-draining soil enriched with organic matter. Dislikes winter wet.

Watering

Water well for the first two summers, then during dry spells. Established plants tolerate short droughts. Read moreShow less

Water well for the first two summers, then during dry spells. Established plants tolerate short droughts.

Mature size

Height0.8-1 m
Spread0.8-1.2 m

Reaches full size in 5-10 years

Growth habit

Tufted

Flowering

Apr-May

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

No cutting back. Remove old outer leaves at the base in spring; divide in spring to propagate.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

Garden origin (New Zealand)

Family

Asteliaceae

Also known as

Astelia 'Silver Shadow'

Genus

Astelia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Astelia 'Silver Shadow'?

A selected hybrid astelia prized for exceptionally bright, metallic silver sword leaves, among the most reflective foliage of any hardy perennial. It forms an arching evergreen clump to around a metre, bringing instant light to borders and pots.

How hardy is Astelia 'Silver Shadow'?

Rated H3, to around -5C. It thrives outdoors in mild and coastal gardens, and elsewhere succeeds with sharp winter drainage and fleece in severe frost. Winter wet is a bigger enemy than cold. Our seasonal expectations guide has the honest detail.

Where should I plant Astelia 'Silver Shadow'?

A sheltered position in sun or light shade with free-draining soil. It is superb in gravel plantings and dry, drought-tolerant schemes, and its salt tolerance suits coastal gardens too.

Does Astelia 'Silver Shadow' grow well in a pot?

Yes, it is one of the best silver foliage plants for a container, where the arching swords catch the light at eye level. Gritty, loam-based compost and a sunny sheltered spot are all it asks. Browse our plants for pots for companions.

Silver Shadow, Silver Spear or 'Westland': which astelia?

Choose 'Silver Spear' for the tallest, boldest swords, 'Silver Shadow' for the brightest pure silver on a tidier plant, and 'Westland' for smoky bronze-red tones. All three share the same easy culture.

Should I cut back my astelia?

No hard cutting back. Just pull or trim away old, tatty outer leaves at the base in spring so the fresh silver growth takes centre stage. Clumps can be divided in spring if you want more plants.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Rated by real customers

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Astelia 'Silver Shadow'
£34.99