Heuchera americana
American alum root
A mound-forming, evergreen perennial with rosettes of lobed, oval to heart-shaped, glossy leaves. Young foliage is marbled and veined brown, maturing to deep green with copper-green shading. Sprays of tiny, browny-green flowers on tall, upright stems appear in early spring
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Brown Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Brown Green | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Saxifragaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Heuchera are more or less evergreen, clump-forming perennials with attractive, rounded, shallowly palmately lobed leaves and racemes or panicles of small, tubular flowers, often with colourful calyces
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- E USA
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in sun or partial shade. The woody rootstock tends to lift out of the ground so mulch annually or lift and replant
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in containers in autumn, or by division in autumn
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Rock garden
- Flower borders and beds
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
Remove faded flower spikes
Pests
May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworms and vine weevil
Diseases
May be affected by heuchera rust
Get involved
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