Field ManualAll plants

Masterwort
Astrantia major
Pet & Human Safety
People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Neither ASPCA nor NC State lists a pet-safety verdict for this plant. Not listed means no verdict was found, not that it's safe. Keep pets from eating it and call a vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line if a pet seems unwell.
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
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- Hardiness zones
USDA zones 4a to 7b (Wisconsin Horticulture Extension); Arkansas Extension says hardy in zones 4 through 7 but likely to suffer where summer nights are hot
- Light
Wisconsin Extension says it grows best in part shade, with a few hours of morning sun and dappled shade the rest of the day; in full shade it blooms less.
- Water needs
high
- Mature size
Mounded clumps up to 1.5 feet high (Wisconsin Extension). Arkansas Extension says 2 to 3 feet tall in flower and about half that in leaf.
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
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Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
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Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
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Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
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