Astilbe plant named `Touch Of Pink`

A distinct cultivar of Astilbe plant named `Touch of Pink`, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; durable dark green leaves; very freely, uniformly and continuous flowering; and attractive light pink-colored flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe
 plant, botanically known as Astilbe hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by
 the cultivar name `Touch of Pink`.
 The new cultivar is a peoduct of a planned breeding program conducted by
 the Inventor in Noorden, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding
 program was to develop new freely-flowering compact Astilbe cultivars.
 The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1992 of
 the Astilbe simplicifolia cultivar `Hennie Graafland`, not patented, as
 the male or pollen parent, with the Astiebe japonica cultivar `Europa`,
 not patented, as the female or seed parent.
 The cultivar `Touch of Pink` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as
 a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled
 environment in Noorden, The Netherlands.
 Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by divisions harvested at Noorden,
 The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbe
 are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Plants of the cultivar `Touch of Pink` have not been observed under all
 possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with
 variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength,
 and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.
 The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be
 the unique characteristics of `Touch of Pink`. The characteristics in
 combination distinguish `Touch of Pink` as a new and distinct cultivar:
 1. Upright and compact plant habit.
 2. Durable dark green leaves.
 3. Very freely, uniformly and continuous flowering.
 4. Attractive light pink-colored flowers.
 Plants of the new Astilbe differ from plants of the male parent, the
 cultivar `Hennie Graafland`, in flower shape, in addition, plants of the
 new Astilbe are narrower and are move floriferous than plants of the
 cultivar `Hennie Graafland`.
 Plants of the new Astilbe differ from plants of the female parent, the
 cultivar `Europa`, in leaf shape and flower color, in addition, plants of
 the new Astilbe are more compact than plants of the cultivar `Europa`.