Heucheras 2015 - notes

12/11/2015
1
© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2015 (our 11th year)
© Project SOUND
Heavenly Heucheras:
gardening with our lovely
native Coral Bells
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
December 5 & 10, 2015
The genus Heuchera
 In the Saxifrage Family
 All from the Americas (N./Central)
 Commonly called ‘Coral Bells’ (for
the flowers) and ‘Alumroots’ (for
their astringent, alum-like roots)
 Similar in appearance
 Leaves round to heart-shaped with
long petioles
 Basel rosette/mound
 Small, bell-shaped flowers on
wand-like stalk
 Hybridize widely in the wild – and
in the garden
© Project SOUNDhttp://plants.usda.gov/gallery/large/hepu9_001_lvd.jpg
The Saxifrages - Family Saxifragaceae
© Project SOUND
http://montana.plant-life.org/families/Saxifragaceae.htm
 Name: ‘stone-breaker’
 Most grow either in alpine/arctic areas or
in moist, shady forests
 ~775 known species in 48 genera;
taxonomy – difficult, contentious
 Most herbaceous perennials/small shrubs
 Flowers perfect (bisexual) with 4 or 5
petals and 5 or 10 stamens.
 Floral symmetry – radial (star-shaped)
 Many used medicinally
 Many are garden favorites, particularly
for rock/crevice gardens or for shade
http://www.digilibraries.com/html_ebooks/106887/18913/www.digi
libraries.com@18913@18913-h@images@img274.jpg

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The Saxifrages - Family Saxifragaceae
 Mostly Northern
Hemisphere: centers of
diversity in the Himalayas,
East Asia, and Western
North America.
 The greatest diversity in the
Pacific Northwest of North
America
 Two lineages:
 ‘saxifroides’ - true
Saxifrages (arctic/alpine)
 ‘heucheroids’ – all the rest
© Project SOUND
 CA genera (all ‘heucheroids’):
 Boykinia
 Heuchera
 Tellima
Saxifragaceae – genetic analysis gives
evidence of an old family
 Saxifragaceae began to diversify
~38.37 million years ago (Mya; 95%
HPD = 30.99–46.11 Mya) in the Mid-
Late Eocene
 The two major lineages, the
heucheroids and saxifragoids, began to
diversify ~30.04 Mya (95%
HPD = 23.87–37.15 Mya) and 30.85 Mya
(95% HPD = 23.47–39.33 Mya),
respectively.
 Several geographic radiations within
Saxifragaceae: one in eastern Asia and
multiple radiations in western North
America.
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Heucheras
Saxifrage (and Heuchera) paleobotany
 Began in Late Oligocene
 Warmer temperature
 Much more humid (less water
tied up in polar ice)
 Survived the Quaternary to
the present
 ‘Ice Age’ conditions – several
glacial and inter-glacial
periods
 Over-all temperatures are
cooler
 Overall drier conditions
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
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© Project SOUND
The genus Heuchera – Coral Bells
 All have palmately lobed leaves on
long petioles and a thick, woody
rootstock.
 Grow in varied habitats
 There is an extensive array of
blossom sizes, shapes, and colors,
foliage types, and geographic
tolerances.
 Make good garden plants
 Gardeners and horticulturists have
developed a multitude of hybrids
between various Heuchera and
related species.
© 2004, Ben Legler
The genus Heuchera
 Taxonomy - difficult until now
 Few morphologic characters with
sufficient variability
 Small flowers
 Inter-breeding between
populations
 Much variability even within
populations
 Unusual geographic distributions
 Numbers of accepted species
have vacillated between 27
(Rosendahl, 1905) and 72
(Rydberg, 1905), with extensive
revisions through the years.
 Currently n = 43
© Project SOUND
http://www.bonap.org/Most%20Number%20of%20Native%20Species/
Native%20Species%20per%20Genus.html
What does this geographic
distribution suggest?
Taxonomy of the Heucheras
 1840 - Torrey and Gray, first proposed
sections
 1905 - Rydberg created unranked names that
were afterwards interpreted as subsections
(validated at that rank in the 1930s by Engler).
 1936 - Rosendahl, Butters, and Lakela (last
genus monograph) combined these categories
into a system of sections and subsections that
has been used by later workers. Their sections,
largely based on the Torrey and Gray system,
have proved artificial.
 1984 - arrangement of the eastern species
improved by E.F. Wells.
 2014 - taxonomy realigned on the basis of
combined DNA and morphology (Folk &
Freudenstein, 2014; American Journal of
Botany).
 2015 - three sections, a tentative fourth, with
two species that still could not be placed
confidently.
© Project SOUND
Per Axel Rydberg - (1860-1931)
http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/libr/f
inding_guide/rydberg.asp.html
Ryan A. Folk
https://sites.google.com/site/ryanheuchera/aboutme
Phylogenomics (phylogeny + genomics)
 Phylogeny: the study of the evolution of
taxonomic groups
 Genomics: the use of modern DNA analysis to
study the structure and function of genes
 Phylogenomics: a rapidly developing field that
uses broad sampling of genetic regions across
the genome in order to infer an estimate of the
"tree of life" for a set of species.
 Four major areas fall under phylogenomics:
 Prediction of gene function
 Establishment and clarification of evolutionary
relationships
 Gene family evolution
 Prediction and retracing lateral gene transfer.
© Project SOUND
"CollapsedtreeLabels-simplified" by Original uploader was
User:TimVickers, SVG conversion by User:User_A1 - Own work
(Original text: Self made.). Licensed under Public Domain via
Commons -
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CollapsedtreeLabels-
simplified.svg#/media/File:CollapsedtreeLabels-simplified.svg
Phylogenomics has recently changed the taxonomy of the
Heucheras

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Maximum likelihood cladogram for
the total-evidence data set
(morphology + DNA) Inset: ML
cladogram with proportional ML
branch lengths; legend: major
taxonomic groups in the current
study.
Ryan A. Folk, and John V. Freudenstein Am. J. Bot.
2014;101:1532-1550
www.amjbot.org
Eastern Heucheras
 Clear Pacific Northwest origin
for Heuchera itself.
 Eastern species:
 At least once from the
Pacific Northwest
 At least twice from Rockies?
© Project SOUND
http://www.bonap.org/Most%20Number%20of%20Native%20Species/
Native%20Species%20per%20Genus.html
Sect. Heuchera
• Subsect. Heuchera (= subsect. Americanae; across the eastern US)
• H. americana
• H. caroliniana
• H. pubescens
• H. alba
• H. longiflora
• H. richardsonii
• Subsect. Parvifoliae (Great Basin, southern Basin and Range, northern Rockies)
• H. parvifolia
• H. wootonii
• H. soltisii
• Subsect. Novomexicanae (Southern Basin and Range; white flowers)
• H. novomexicana
• H. glomerulata
• H. eastwoodiae
• H. inconstans
© Project SOUND
13 California native Heuchera species
 Heuchera abramsii – San Gabriel alumroot*
 Heuchera brevistaminea - Mt. laguna alumroot*
 Heuchera caespitosa - Urn-flowered alumroot*
 Heuchera chlorantha - Green flowered alumroot
 Heuchera cylindrica - Roundleaf alumroot
 Heuchera hirsutissima - Shaggy haired alumroot*
 Heuchera maxima - Island alumroot*
 Heuchera merriamii - Merriam's alumroot
 Heuchera micrantha - Alum root
 Heuchera parishii - Parish's alumroot*
 Heuchera parvifolia - Littleleaf alumroot
 Heuchera pilosissima – Seaside alum root
 Heuchera rubescens - Pink alumroot
*rare, with limited range
© Project SOUND

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Parsimony reconstructions of
ancestral character states with
legends, based on the maximum
likelihood total-evidence tree.
Ryan A. Folk, and John V. Freudenstein
Am. J. Bot. 2014;101:1532-1550
www.amjbot.org
California species
Sect. Rhodoheuchera
© Project SOUND
• Subsect. Hemsleyanae (Sierra Madre of Mexico)
• H. longipetala
• H. acutifolia
• H. mexicana
• Subsect. Rosendahliae (northern Sierra Madre Occidentale)
• H. rosendahlii
• H. wellsiae
• Subsect. Rubescentes
• H. rubescens
• H. parishii (may fit better in the following section)
• Subsect. Elegantes (Transverse Ranges of California, and the nearby Laguna
Mountains)
• H. abramsii
• H. elegans
• H. caespitosa
• H. hirsutissima
• H. brevistaminea
• H. pulchella (placement tentative)
• Subsect. Sanguineae (primarily Sierra Madre Occidental, outliers in the
northernmost Sierra Madre Oriental, southernmost Basin and Range)
• H. lakelae
• H. sanguinea
Sect. Holochloa
• Subsect. Villosae (unglaciated eastern US)
• H. villosa
• H. puberula
• H. missouriensis
• H. parviflora
• Subsect. Micranthae (Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada)
• H. micrantha
• H. maxima
• H. pilosissima
• Subsect. Cylindricae (Northern Rockies and adjacent areas)
• H. chlorantha
• H. cylindrica
© Project SOUND
Saxifrage (and Heuchera) paleobotany
 Began in Late Oligocene
 Warmer temperature
 Much more humid (less water
tied up in polar ice)
 Survived the Quaternary to
the present
 ‘Ice Age’ conditions – several
glacial and inter-glacial
periods
 Over-all temperatures are
cooler
 Overall drier conditions
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
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Three main strategies to survive drastic
environmental changes
1. Move – to places where conditions
are better
2. Evolve – change so as to survive the
changed situations
3. Hang on – in places that continue to
have the right conditions
© Project SOUND
*Tall alumroot - Heuchera chlorantha
© Project SOUND
© Rod Gilbert
Native to forests of WA, OR
Sect. Holochloa
• H. villosa
• H. puberula
• H. parviflora
• H. micrantha
• H. maxima
• H. pilosissima
• H. chlorantha
• H. cylindrica
 Incertae sedis
• H. glabra
• H. merriamii
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
*Roundleaf alumroot – Heuchera cylindrica

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 British Columbia and Alberta south to
northeastern California and east to
northern Nevada, Wyoming, and
Montana.
 In CA – Modoc county only
© Project SOUND
*Roundleaf alumroot – Heuchera cylindrica
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HECY2
© 2012, Ray Izumi
© Project SOUND
Roundleaf alumroot: lush-appearing foliage
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded, evergreen perennial
 Foliage all basal; fairly tight
rosette
 Foliage smooth to glandular/
hairy
 Foliage:
 Medium green, lobed leaves
with succulent appearance
 Lush, tidy appearance
 Roots: short taproot - 18 inches
or less
© 2004, Ben Legler
Flowers in the genus Heuchera
© Project SOUNDhttp://botany.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/301Manhart/Dicots/R
osidae/Sax/Sax.html
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/palynology/geos581/lec_
14.html
 Hypanthium (floral cup) is prominent –
green, white or pink colored; shape varies
from urn- to bell- or trumpet-shaped
 Petals are often diminutive, white or pink
 Male sexual parts (stamens) either extend
out beyond petals (are exserted) or do not.
© Project SOUND
Flowers: a bit different
 Blooms: April-Aug. – spring (April-
June) in S. California
 Flowers:
 On upright stalks above the
foliage (typical for genus)
 Flowers clustered at top of
stalks; short flower stems
 Flowers cup-shaped; yellow
green hypanthium, yellow-white
petals
 Sexual parts internal
 Hummingbirds & bumblebees
 Seeds: small, in dry capsule
 Vegetative reproduction: via
rhizomes
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

12/11/2015
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© Project SOUND
Remember: this is a Pacific Northwest plant
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained soil
 pH: any local
 Light: part-shade to shade; full sun
only works on N. CA coast.
 Water:
 Winter: plenty
 Summer: keep soil semi-moist;
Water Zone 2-3 (let dry out a
little between waterings)
 Fertilizer: fine with occasional
fertilizer and organic mulches
 Other: look for mealybugs and
mildrew in warm, damp conditions
© 2012, G. D. Carr
© Project SOUND
Perfect for a green oasis
 Watered shady beds with ferns,
Iris, perennials, grass-like plants
 Along walkways in a woodsy garden
 Rock gardens; shady slopes;
groundcover under watered trees
 As accent/evergreen in containershttp://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HECY2
© 2011, Ron Bockelman
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File
:Heuchera_cylindrica_4706.JPG
Heuchera cylindrica ‘Greenfinch’
 Available from Annie’s Annuals
 Dark green, mottled leaves – pretty
groundcover or foliage plant
 36” tall (with flower stalks), 24” wide;
 Long-stemmed green flowers for floral
arrangements – quite the thing!
 USDA zones 4-10
© Project SOUND
http://www.appeltern.nl/nl/plantenencyclopedie/h
euchera_cylindrica_greenfinch_-_purperklokje
http://www.heuchera.org/Hostapagina's/G/greenfinch.htm
‘Green Ivory’ has
flowers that are ivory-
colored
http://bloomsofbressinghamplants.com/us/Gardeners/Variet
y/Heuchera_Green_Ivory.html&s=1&genus=&common=&va
riety=
Why use the ‘tall green’ Heucheras?
© Project SOUND
To provide vertical interest
(much as we use grass-like
plants in drier gardens)
http://www.seedsite.eu/product/heuchera-cylindrica
To create a woodsy feel,
like the Pacific Northwest
http://zaaisite.nl/info/heuchera_cylindrica.htm

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Heucheras can be eaten as food
 Young leaves of alumroot are
edible when steamed or boiled
 They are mildly astringent
(drying and tissue-contracting),
so may leave you thirsty.
© Project SOUND
The lowland, coastal Heucheras of CA
look more like the garden Heucheras
© Project SOUND
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
Sect. Holochloa
• H. villosa
• H. puberula
• H. parviflora
• H. micrantha
• H. maxima
• H. pilosissima
• H. chlorantha
• H. cylindrica
 Incertae sedis
• H. glabra
• H. merriamii
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Small-flower Coral Bells/Crevice Alumroot –
Heuchera micrantha
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

12/11/2015
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© Project SOUND
Small-flower Coral Bells –
Heuchera micrantha
 Native in the inner coastal areas of
much of California, through the Sierras
and Cascades up into to Idaho and
British Columbia.
 Likes to grow in crevices and in wet
rocky areas
 Closed-cone Pine Forest, Mixed-
evergreen Forest and Redwood Forest.
 In other words, more forest-like than
we have here in western L.A. Co.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Heuchera+micrantha
http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=4171
http://www.swsbm.com/Maps/Maps.html
© Project SOUND
Small-flower Coral Bells is a petite Heuchera
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Slow-growing
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Mounded clump
 Foliage:
 Leaves basal, hairy, medium
green with distinctive red veins.
 Neat, pleasant and showy
 ‘woodsy’ look
 Roots: thick, woody
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: light to medium soils;
good drainage
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Some shade probably better in
our area
 Water:
 Winter: needs good rains
 Summer: likes somewhat damp
soils – Zone 2-3 probably best
 Fertilizer:
 Best grown in organically
rich soils
 Add humus; organic (leaf)
mulches
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/Go-Native/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=127&PhotoID=366
© Project SOUND
Flowers are lovely
when massed
 Blooms: usually Apr-June in S.
CA gardens
 Flowers:
 Whitish - Pink, tiny, in nodding
clusters along stems
 Dainty-looking
 Very showy when massed;
drifts of flowering stalks
 Seeds:
 Tiny
 Fairly easy to propagate
 Vegetative reproduction:
divide clumps every 3-4 years in
spring.Gladys Lucille Smith © California Academy of Sciences

12/11/2015
11
Dividing Heucheras
 Divide 3-4 year old Heucheras in
spring (when actively growing)
 Dig up the clump
 Break it into smaller clumps, either
by hand or using a stout knife; be
sure that each clump has a good
root system
 Replant divisions, keep well-watered
 Discard old woody material
 Dividing encourages new growth and
more abundant flowering – it also
propagates new plants.
© Project SOUND
http://gardening.lohudblogs.com/2007/11/17/dividing-heuchera-
for-a-new-garden/
Heucheras are definite
candidates for small gardens
 Great in large pots and planters
 Nice flower for the shaded rock garden.
 Excellent for edging, borders
 Good ground cover for a woodland garden
© 2004, Ben Legler
One of the few groundcovers
that will grow under walnut
trees.
http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/heuchera-micrantha
http://tmousecmouse.blogspot.com/2013_05
_01_archive.html
Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia
'Palace Purple'
 Source seed was actually the southeast
U.S. native Heuchera villosa var.
macrorrhiza
 Originated in England from seed imported from
a U.S. Botanic Garden; introduced to American
gardens in 1986
 'Palace Purple‘ - first grown at the Queen's
palace at Kew Gardens.
 First Heuchera to be widely grown here for its
dramatic foliage. Received the Perennial Plant
Association Plant-of-the-Year award in 1991.
 Excellent choice for edge of the border, or in
containers (dramatic ‘filler’ plant).
© Project SOUNDhttp://notanothergardeningblog.com/2012/09/17
/holy-h-batman/
The love affair with
purple foliage
 Mostly an Eastern/European
gardening phenomenon
 Often based on Eastern species
and crosses with Tiarellas
 Has kept many plant breeders in
business
 Fills a need in shady gardens
that may be a little gloomy in
summers with cloudy skies
 Contrasting foliage (of the lush
variety) is used more in areas
with more rainfall
© Project SOUND
http://leef-tuinen.nl/natuurlijke-achtertuin-oisterwijk/
http://livingfashion.co.nz/variety/tiarella-appalachian-trail/

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The leaf colors are amazing…
© Project SOUND
http://www.greatbiggreenhouse.com/Expert-Advice/Plant-Listings/Perennial-Flowers/Heuchera.aspx
…but they look more appropriate in moist gardens
© Project SOUND
http://thegardeningcook.com/heuchera/
© Project SOUND
*Seaside alumroot – Heuchera pilosissima
http://www.larnerseeds.com/file/heuchera-pilosissimajpg
 Endemic to coastal CA from Del Norte
Co. in the far north (and S. OR) to
Santa Barbara Co.
 Wooded, coastal slopes and coastal
bluffs below 1000 ft.
© Project SOUND
*Seaside alumroot – Heuchera pilosissima
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HEPI3
https://www.flickr.com/photos/polylepis/5731442786
http://www.mostlynatives.com/sites/default/files/heucherapilosissim
a.jpg

12/11/2015
13
© Project SOUND
Seaside heuchera: medium-size & hairy
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Evergreen, herbaceous
perennial
 Mounded form – spreads
slowly via short rhizomes
 Foliage:
 Leaves medium green, grape-
like, rounded with slight lobing
 Long petioles
 All very hairy, glandular
 Roots: shallow
© Project SOUND
Flowers: unusual shape
 Blooms: spring - usually Mar-
May in S. CA gardens
 Flowers:
 On upright stalk typical of
genus
 Flowers small, urn-shaped
 Hypanthium (floral cup)
green to pink, very hairy
 Petals small, white-pink
 Sexual parts exerted
 Attract hummingbirds
 Seeds:
 Many small, in dry capsule
©2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Requirements: typical for N. Coastal species
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained soils; fine in sand
 pH: slightly acidic (5.0-7.0) best
 Light:
 Part-shade to quite shady in S. CA
(grows in forests right along the damp
Northern coast)
 Water:
 Winter: needs good rains/irrigation
 Summer: moist soils – probably the most
water-loving native Heuchera
 Fertilizer: low needs, but yearly dose of ½
strength fertilizer wouldn’t hurt
 Other: organic mulches fine
© Project SOUND
One of the best for places
with regular water
 Shady borders, planters
 Lining walkways
 Woodland-themed gardens
 As an attractive pot plant
https://sites.google.com/site/ryanheuchera/heuchera-pilosissima
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/7020331907
http://www.larnerseeds.com/file/heuchera-pilosissimajpg

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Native coastal Heucheras work well in gardens
 Cultural requirements ‘garden friendly’:
 Soils: adaptable; heavy clays can be
problem
 pH: neutral or slightly acid
 Water: moderate to regular
 Size/shape is good for bed borders
 Evergreen foliage
© Project SOUND
http://www.wmwd.watersavingplants.com/GWImage.php?image=199
&source=gt
‘Lillian’s Pink’ (H. pilosissima x H. sanguinea)
 Selected for the garden by Ron Lusko;
introduced by Cal Flora Nursery
 Named after Lillian Henningsen, (first
appeared in as a chance seedling in her
garden).
 1-2 ft. tall & wide; upright compact habit
 Larger, darker flowers than most Heuchera
(due to H. sanguinea parent)
 Excellent in part-shade; a bit more drought
tolerant than H. pilosissima (occasional/
moderate water)
© Project SOUND
http://www.mostlynatives.com/plants/heuchera-
lillians-pink
What’s the appropriate
mulch for heucheras?
 As always, depends on what is
the natural mulch:
 Northern Forest species –
mosses; leaf mulch
 Coastal Forest species –
organic mulch, but not too
thick
 Crevice/S. CA species – gravel
or other inorganic mulch
 Always trade-off between the
benefits of mulch and the risk
of fungal disease (roots &
leaves)
© Project SOUND
Heuchera merriamii : a mystery solved
 This species occurs in the
Siskiyou Mountains of
northern California.
 Flowers are very similar to
those of H. maxima and H.
pilosissima
 While previously these
species have been
classified together, they
do not appear to be closely
related.
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
15
Sect. Holochloa
• H. villosa
• H. puberula
• H. parviflora
• H. micrantha
• H. maxima
• H. pilosissima
• H. chlorantha
• H. cylindrica
 Incertae sedis
• H. glabra
• H. merriamii
© Project SOUND
Heucheras grow in several CA mountain
ranges
 Cascade/Klamath/Modoc
 Coastal Ranges
 Sierra Nevada Range
____________________
 Transverse Ranges
 Peninsular Ranges
© Project SOUND
http://www.sanandreasfault.org/CaGeo.html
H. maxima is unique among S. California Heucheras
 Native to the N. Channel Islands
 Is similar – and related to – the Central/Northern
CA species in Section Holochloa
© Project SOUND
http://tchester.org/plants/analysis/heuchera/heuchera_socal.html#pix
Island Alumroot – Heuchera maxima
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

12/11/2015
16
Island Alumroot in
nature
 Moist shady areas in
chaparral and coastal
sage scrub on N. Channel
Islands:
 Moist, shady, north-facing
canyon bottoms,
 Canyon walls
 Moist cliffs
 Seacliffs
 Low elevations
http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ProfileImage.asp?FN=2240a
Island Alumroot: somewhat similar to northern
coastal species
 Growth form: clumping – low
mounds of leaves on long
petioles
 Foliage: leaves rounded or
heart-shaped, may be
variegated
 Roots: long taproot – more
drought tolerant than non-CA
species
Flowers: late winter-mid-spring
 White to light pink
 Bell-shaped
 On long stems well above the foliage
Growth requirements – Island Alumroot
 Sun: full sun on the coast, part shade
anywhere
 Soils:
 Any well-drained – sandy is best
 Any pH except very acidic
 Nutrients: organic supplements,
mulches are useful
 Water:
 Regular water to establish
 Two to four times a month (especially
in summer and at inland locations) to
keep plants green and lengthen bloom.
 Are fairly drought tolerant in shady
sites – just look a little raggedy with
summer drought
http://www.gardenbuddies.com/forum/messages/4314/6145.html
Regular maintenance of Heuchers
 Mulch with appropriate mulch
 Watch for known pests/diseases:
 Slugs/snails
 Mealybugs
 Scale insects
 Fungal disease (root)
 Mildew
 Remove dead foliage and
flowering stalks
 Fertilize containerized plants
(and those grown in sandy soils)
with ½ strength fertilizer once a
year
 Divide every 3-5 years – when
flowering decreases
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
17
Versatile plant in the garden
 Woodland and shade gardens or borders
 For cut flowers
 Habitat for bees and hummingbirds
 As a groundcover in shady parts of the
garden, including under trees (oaks & pines)
 In pots & containers (2 ft deep or more)
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_pag
e/heuchera_maxima.htm
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=0164 http://www.plantmaster.com/gardens/eplant.php?plantnum=24193
Design: Mass plantings or accent plant?
 Mass plantings – utilize the principle
of repetition
 Accent plantings - utilize the
principle of contrast
 All Heucheras are splendid when
used either way
© Project SOUND
Floral color – two looks from Heucheras
 Modern architecture
 Dark areas of the garden
 With other, competing floral
colors
 Old-fashioned, cottage garden
 Natural landscapes (true
California look); woodsy look
© Project SOUND
‘in your face’ red
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/325033298082321235/ https://www.sbbg.org/easy-8
‘soothing and natural’ pink
Coastal Heucheras: perfect
choice for a woodsy garden
© Project SOUND
http://watersmartsdlandscaping.org/GWImage.php?image=70
&source=gt&index=6&page=1
Heuchera & Wild strawberry (Fragaria)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-65eAbg4g7aU/UXNz8QW-
HlI/AAAAAAAAHPc/coVuxLJdql0/s1600/aristolochia
-heuchera-fern-closer.jpg
Border a lawn for the feel of a woodland opening
http://bgm.stanford.edu/groups/grounds/special/ca_native_chart
Pair with water-loving native ferns

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18
Heucheras & grass-
like plants are naturals
together
 N. CA grass species
 Sedges (Carex) species
 Rushes (Juncus) species
© Project SOUND
http://www.junescott.net/garden-friendly-california-natives/
http://www.pasadena.watersavingplants.com/GWImage.php?image=885&so
urce=gg&index=2&page=6
‘Opal’ & ‘Wendy’
https://thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/more-great-reliable-plants-for-
california-landscapes/
http://www.thegardengeek.com/content/heuchera-maxima-giant-heuchera http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/Native-plants-in-containers.html
Understated
elegance as an
accent plant
Heucheras in containers
 No special potting soil except for
those that need extra gravel
 Shallow roots – don’t need a deep
container (except H. maxima)
 Elegant alone – or in mixed containers
© Project SOUND
http://www.enjoycontainergardening.com/heucheras-in-
container-gardens.html
http://awaytogarden.com/the-best-heuchera-and-how-to-grow-them/
Heucheras and moisture-
loving native ferns make a
fetching combination
Heucheras have the potential to hybridize
 Doesn’t occur often in the wilds
due to geographic separation
 Happens all the time in gardens
 Hybridizers also make specific
crosses, choosing parent plants
with particular characteristics
 H. maxima is often chosen:
 Larger overall size
 Large leaves
 Large, open flowers
 Relative drought tolerance
© Project SOUND
Heuchera maxima (tall), H.
sanguinea (dark pink) & H. elegans
(lighter pink)
http://kristamaxwell.com/garden/photos.html

12/11/2015
19
The quest for a better pink….
 Native plants will frequently
produce hybrids with closely
related exotic plants. Quite a
number of such cases are well
documented.
 Heuchera sanguinea (from
Arizona) has hybridized with
the following natives:
 H. elegans,
 H. hirsutissima,
 H. maxima
 H. pilosissima
 H. merriamii (pringlei)
© Project SOUND
*Arizona Coral Bells - Heuchera sanguinea
 Native to S.e. AZ, s.w. NM, N. Mexico
 Grows in moist, shady, foothill woodlands
 Has the most outrageous bright pink/red
flowers – used to produce red cultivars
© Project SOUND
http://loghouseplants.com/plants/shop/heuchera-
sanguinea-ruby-bells-coral-bells/
‘Ruby Bells’
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/74098356341543411/
http://notanothergardeningblog.com/tag/foliage-plants/
Lee Lenz and the ‘RSABG Hybrids’
 In the 1950s, Lee Lenz (Rancho Santa
Ana Botanic Garden) started hybridizing
Heuchera maxima with Heuchera
sanguinea (Arizona/NM species) to
create garden hybrids.
 Became known as the "Rancho Santa Ana
hybrids". Breeding program continues.
 The hybrids inherited their large
stature and tall flowering stems from
Heuchera maxima while getting larger
indidual flower size and darker colors
from Heuchera sanguinea.
 Exibited hybrid vigor, making them
great garden plants. In the garden,
they are essentially treated like H.
maxima: shade and some summer water.
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3389/santa-ana-cardinal-
coral-bells/
Heuchera 'Genevieve'
 Introduced in 1974; named
after the wife of Percy
Everett, who was the garden
horticulturalist at the time
 Dark green leaves that have
silvery markings with magenta
flowers.
 Renowned for its pink
flowers, strong stature and
very long bloom season.
© Project SOUND
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/8117898828
http://www.magicgrowers.com/plantDetail.php?plantId=0000980175

12/11/2015
20
Heuchera 'Opal'
 One of the original Lenz
hybrids
 Soft hairy pale green leaves
 Clean white flowers with the
hint of a rose blush.
 Use ‘Opal’ in woodland
settings, in mass under trees,
as an edging or border plant.
© Project SOUND
http://www.magicgrowers.com/plantDetail.php?plantId=0000980499
http://www.sb.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=207&return=l11
Heuchera ‘Santa
Ana Cardinal’
 Robust, durable plant introduced in
1958.
 Large size (about 2 feet tall by 2
feet wide)
 Shiny green foliage, similar to
Heuchera 'Genevieve' but the gray
mottling on the leaves is not as
pronounced.
 Vibrant red flowers on stems up
to 3 feet tall.
 Hardy to about 10 degrees F.
© Project SOUND
http://www.gardeningwithnatives.com/pcc_planting.html
http://wildsuburbia.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html
Heuchera 'Susanna'
 Introduced in 1974 and
named for the garden's
founder, Susanna Bixby
Bryant
 Shiny green foliage with
large leaves
 Profusion of vibrant red
flowers on stems up to 3
feet high in spring and
summer.
© Project SOUND
http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/calnatives_show.php?id=heucsu
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/heu_SU.htm
Heuchera ‘Wendy’
 Introduced by John Dourley
(RSABG) in 1984.
 Open rosettes of pale green leaves
and elegant tall sprays bearing rosy-
pink flowers.
 Not extremely long lived but worth
replanting every 3-5 years.
© Project SOUND
http://godetia.com/dirt/closet/heuchera.jpg https://thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com/tag/california-natives/

12/11/2015
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Heuchera 'Rosada'
 Not a Rancho Santa Ana introduction
 Similar to 'Wendy' but has smaller soft
pink and white flowers on a shorter stems
 Durable old cultivar that is thought to
have been in the University of California,
Davis Arboretum for over 30 years
before introduced to horticulture in 1991.
© Project SOUND
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/heu_RO.htm
http://www.goldrushnursery.com/index.cfm/fuseactio
n/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/283/index.htm
Sect. Holochloa
• H. villosa
• H. puberula
• H. parviflora
• H. micrantha
• H. maxima
• H. pilosissima
• H. chlorantha
• H. cylindrica
 Incertae sedis
• H. glabra
• H. merriamii
© Project SOUND
The S. CA Heucheras: look closely
With the exception of H. maxima, all the rest are
alpine species. How did that happen?
© Project SOUND
Three main strategies to survive drastic
environmental changes
1. Move – to places where conditions
are better
2. Evolve – change so as to survive the
changed situations
3. Hang on – in places that continue to
have the right conditions
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
22
The S. CA Heucheras: water-loving plants
in a climate that became dry
© Project SOUND
Coastal species (Sect.
Holochloa) became truly
coastal
The rest ultimately retreated to very
specialized alpine places, where water
was still available
H. caespitosa has the widest geographic
distribution of the S. CA species
© Project SOUND
It also has a wide elevation distribution
© Project SOUND
* Tufted alumroot – Heuchera caespitosa
© Project SOUND
http://herbaria4.herb.berkeley.edu/eflora_display.php?tid=91750
 Western Transverse Ranges in Kern, San
Bernardino, Tulare, and Ventura counties, and in
the Outer South Coast Ranges, southern Sierra
Nevada foothills, and southern Sierra Nevada
 Rocky areas, 4500'-8000', San Gabriel Mts
 Red Fir Forest, Yellow Pine Forest
In so many ways, Tufted
alumroot bridges the coastal
species to the west and the
alpine species of the eastern
Transverse and Peninsular
Ranges

12/11/2015
23
 AKA: Urn-flowered alumroot
 Attribution: Alice Eastwood
 One of the rare Heucheras.
 Previously lumped with some other S.
CA species into H. elegans - but
those recently classified as H.
caespitosa are different:
 H. caespitosa is tetraploid.
 There are also some subtle aspects of
floral form that distinguish them, all
of which require fresh or rehydrated
material.
© Project SOUND
Ryan Folk (2011-2015).
© Project SOUND
Tufted alumroot: a smaller, mountain form
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 < 1 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Low-growing evergreen
perennial; diminutive
 Extends via rhizomes; mat-
forming with age
 Foliage:
 Medium to darker green
 Leaves rounded, geranium-like
 Shorter petioles
 Roots: not too deep; doesn’t need
much soil
The mountain native tend to
be very cold-resistant. But
many of them (particularly
those with wider elevation
range) still do well in our
lowland gardens
© Project SOUND
Charming flowers
 Blooms: May-July
 Flowers:
 On typical long flower spikes
 Hypantheum very elongated
 Pale pink color overall; petals
are large for genus
 Extremely showy species –
used often in hybrids
 Great for hummingbirds
 Seeds:
 Small & brown in dry capsule
http://www.hazmac.biz/041018/041018HeucheraCaespitosa.html
© Project SOUND
Plant of rocky slopes
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained, rocky best
 pH: any local
 Light: part-shade to shady in
western L.A. county.
 Water:
 Winter: needs plenty
 Summer: twice a month to regular
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
fertilize container plants ½ strength,
once a year in spring.
 Other:
 Inorganic mulch
 Prune off dead leaves, stems
 Watch for mealy bugs, mildew
 Plant on berm for better drainage

12/11/2015
24
© Project SOUND
Small, Tufted alumroot
 Lovely choice for containers
 Tuck into crevices between
rocks, in dry-stone walls
 Shady groundcover on slopes
 Rock gardens; perennial beds
http://jaysullivan.org/socal/alumre.htm
Heuchera caespitosa ‘Bella Blanca’
 Selected and introduced by Rancho
Santa Ana Botanic Garden
 2-4 in. high; 4-8 in. wide; bright
green leaves spreading to form a
very dense mat.
 6-10 inch stems display snow white
flowers in late spring.
 Long blooming season with additional
moisture.
 Compact growth and small size make
it perfect for container and rock
gardens.
© Project SOUND
http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/calnatives_show.php?id=heucebb
AKA Heuchera elegans ‘Bella Blanca’
Lots was happening during the Pleistocene
(Ice Age – 1.8 mya to 10,000 ya)
 To the North, severe climatic changes
had major impacts on fauna and flora.
 Climate effects were less severe in
California, but still significant:
 5 major glacial episodes: Sierras Nevadas
 The L.A. Basin had periods with at least
twice as much rain as currently (more like
the climate of Monterrey – cooler and
foggier)
 Oak & pine woodlands extended down to
lower elevations in western S. CA
 The climate was probably pretty good for
the S. CA Heucheras
© Project SOUND
http://www.perceptions.couk.com/glacials.html
http://geologycafe.com/eros
ion/glaciers.html
But conditions varied widely between glacial and
inter-glacial periods…and S. CA ultimately became
mostly warm & dry
Except for little islands (N. Channel Islands; ‘sky islands’
in the mountains), the conditions were no longer ideal
for Heucheras
© Project SOUND

12/11/2015
25
The easternmost local Heucheras…
Demonstrate the role of isolated ‘islands’ in the
development of species © Project SOUND
Sect. Rhodoheuchera
© Project SOUND
• H. longipetala
• H. acutifolia
• H. mexicana
• H. rosendahlii
• H. wellsiae
• H. rubescens
Mountains)
• H. abramsii
• H. elegans
• H. caespitosa
• H. hirsutissima
• H. lakelae
• H. sanguinea
The S. CA mountain species are different
enough to warrant a separate Section
 Growth characteristics differ
from their coastal siblings
 Their cold tolerance is
phenomenal
 And their growth needs require
that we treat them somewhat
differently than the coastal
species
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
*San Gabriel alumroot – Heuchera abramsii
©2005 Charles E. Jones

12/11/2015
26
© Project SOUND
*San Gabriel alum root – Heuchera abramsii
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HEAB
Ryan Folk (2011-2015) Ryan Folk (2011-2015)
 San Gabriel Mountains (San Antonio Peak
area)
 Grows among the rocks and crevices high
in the coniferous forests, at 9,000 -
11,000m above sea level
 Good cold tolerance – true alpine species
© Project SOUND
Heuchera abramsii: a tiny alpine species
 Size:
 6 inches tall
 to 1 ft wide (spreading)
 Growth form:
 Mat-like herbaceous
perennial – spreads via
rhizomes
 Foliage all very low; winter
deciduous
 Foliage:
 Leaves rounded, deeply-
lobed
 Geranium-like; few hairs
 Roots: relatively shallow
http://navigate.botanicgardens.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_
DispPl?NAMENUM=48599#images
https://sites.google.com/site/ryanheuchera/heuchera-abramsii
http://tchester.org/temp/110721/heuchera/heuc
hera_abramsii_1_3_crop_70.jpg
© Project SOUND
Flowers among the prettiest in CA Heucheras
 Blooms: summer in its native
habitat; usually spring (May-
June) at lower elevations
 Flowers:
 Dense flowers on upright flower
stalks (typical of genus)
 Hypantheum tubular/urn-
shaped and very bright pink.
 Petals white/pale pink
 Very showy in bloom – amazing!
 Attracts hummingbirds
 Seeds: many small, dark brown
seeds in dry capsule.
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/abramsalumroot.html
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: excellent drainage
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Shade to part-sun
 Water:
 Winter: plenty of water
 Summer: don’t over-water; let
dry out between waterings
(Water Zone 2)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils; ½
strength fertilizer once a year in
containers.
 Other: gravel mulch; don’t water in
hot, moist conditions.
http://www.wrightmanalpines.com/plant/heuchera-abramsii

12/11/2015
27
Perfect plant for rock &
crevice gardens
 As a unique specimen plant in
containers
 In a rock garden
 Tucked into crevices in a crevice
garden or dry-stone wall
http://wildgingerfarm.com/plant-list/plants-f---h/heuchera-abramsii.html
Growing Heucheras from seed
 Harvest seeds after the seed pods
become dry but before the pods have
opened. Seeds are tiny – don’t worry
about removing all the chaff
 Ideal growing medium: 1:1 seed starter
mix and vermiculite or perlite. Moisten
until damp.
 Sprinkle seeds thinly – don’t over-seed.
 Water with fine mist
 Cover pot(s) with clear plastic bag
 Keep moist in bright shade
 Be careful to not damage root when
repotting
© Project SOUND
http://www.hazmac.biz/041018/041018HeucheraCaespitosa.html
The quest for the perfect dainty hybrid
 In the 1980s Dara Emory (Santa
Barbara Botanic Garden) used small
montane species native to California
crossed with Heuchera sanguinea
 The results became known as the
"Canyon hybrids“
 ‘Canyon Delight’ and ‘Canyon Pink’
were the first products of Dara
Emery’s breeding program to
develop small-leafed, compact coral
bells with showy flowers. Both are
F1 crosses of H. elegans and a H.
sanguinea hybrid.
© Project SOUND
https://www.sbbg.org/classes-events/lectures-symposia/dara-emery-2015
Heuchera
‘Canyon Pink’
 Low growing with gray mottled lobed
leaves.
 Flowers are a rose pink with lighter
centers and the bloom period occurs
in the spring and summer.
 Created by Dara Emery; introduced by
the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden in
1985. This was the first of the
gardens Heuchera introductions and
remains as one of the best.
 Heuchera sanguinea X H. rubescens.
 Several of the more recent Quartet
Series such as H. 'Canyon Melody', H.
'Canyon Duet' and H. 'Canyon Chimes'
have 'Canyon Pink' as one parent.
© Project SOUND
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdispla
y.asp?plant_id=834

12/11/2015
28
‘Canyon Delight’
 Early Dara Emory hybrid
 Small (4-6"H x 6-12"W) with a 1"
x 1" green leaf
 Deep pink flower.
 Grows and performs best in drier
shady conditions. It will tolerant
regular water in well drained soil.
© Project SOUND
http://www.faroutflora.com/tag/heuchera-canyon-delight/
https://www.sbbg.org/explore-garden/garden-sections-displays/arroyo
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Heuchera/
The ‘Canyon Series’ Heucheras
 Dara Emery made many crosses with
H. sanguinea and our small mountain
natives. The best were introduced
by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
 Dozens of beautiful hybrids which
combined the dense, small
hummocks of the natives with
flower colors ranging from white to
deep, rosy pink.
 All have smaller flowers than H.
sanguinea, but usually many more
 Do well in gardens given shade and
regular water
© Project SOUND
‘Canyon Chimes’ – a later hybrid
https://www.sbbg.org/learn-discover/gardening-with-natives/sbbg-cultivars
Heuchera ‘Canyon Quartet Series’
 Dara Emery hybrids
created in 1993;
released by the
Santa Barbara
Botanic Garden after
Mr. Emery's death.
 Patents have been
applied for by the
Garden on all of
these cultivars.
© Project SOUND
 Canyon Duet' - bicolored flowers
 'Canyon Bell' - Shorter red flowers in middle of wheelbarrow
 'Canyon Chimes' Tall red flowers in front of the wheelbarrow
 'Canyon Melody' - Smaller plant pink with exerted white
Heuchera x abramsii ‘Canyon Duet’ (PP13,280)
 Dara Emery hybrid between ‘Canyon
Delight’ and H. abramsii
 Released in 2001 as part of the Santa
Barbara Botanic Garden ‘Quartet’
Series.
 Mat-like evergreen perennial 5 inches
tall by 1 foot or more wide with small,
1 ¼-inch wide leaves.
 Bi-colored flowers of dark pink and
white rise above the foliage on 12- 18
inch tall stems in mid spring.
 Shade to part-sun/regular summer
water
 Tolerant of a wide variety of soil
types. Hardy to around 10° F.
© Project SOUND
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9157.75
http://www.learn2grow.com/plants/heuchera-canyon-duet-canyon-
series-pp13280-images-large-134192/

12/11/2015
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The easternmost local Heucheras…
Demonstrate the concept of islands and speciation
© Project SOUND
*Parish (Mill Creek) alumroot - Heuchera parishii
© Project SOUND
©2010 Gary A. Monroe
Native to San Bernardino Mountains; available from Santa
Barbara Botanic Garden
© Project SOUND
* Shaggy haired alumroot – Heuchera hirsutissima
 Peninsular Ranges (San Jacinto
Mountains, n Santa Rosa Mtns)
 Upper montane Red Fir coniferous
forest, subalpine forest, 7000'-
11,000'
© Project SOUND
* Shaggy haired alumroot – Heuchera hirsutissima
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HEHI4
http://jaysullivan.org/socal/alumrpa2.htm

12/11/2015
30
© Project SOUND
Shaggy-haired alumroot: small, alpine
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mat-forming herbaceous
perennial
 Low-growing; flat rather than
mounded
 Spreads via rhizomes
 Foliage:
 Leaves rounded, lobed, grape-like
in appearance
 Roots: Relatively short.
© Project SOUND
Pastel pink flowers
 Blooms: summer in the
mountains; May-June at lower
elevations
 Flowers:
 Flower spikes more slender,
open than some species
 Floral tube flaring, pale pink;
petals even paler, and whole
becoming quite pale with age
 Very glandular-hairy
 Attracts hummingbirds
 Seeds: small, dark brown in dry
capsule
© Project SOUND
Shade & drainage  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained, rocky,
but tolerates clay
 pH: slightly acidic (5.0-7.0)
 Light:
 Part-shade to shade; no hot
afternoon sun; heat tolerant
 Water:
 Winter: good; supplement
 Summer: occasional to
regular; Zone 2-3 probably
optimal to keep foliage green.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
½ strength for pot-grown plants.
 Other: prune out dead leaves,
stems; watch for mealybugs,
mildew.
© Project SOUND
Small Heucheras
 Borders; shady, narrow places
 Rock/crevice gardens
 In dry-stone walls and other
places with crevices
 In containers
©2009 Thomas Stoughton
©2002 Charles E. Jones ©2003 Charles E. Jones

12/11/2015
31
Heuchera hirsutissima 'Santa Rosa'
 Originally collected in the mountains
near Palm Springs, CA (~ 8,700 ft.).
 Low mounds of scalloped leaves
 Showy 1 ft. spikes of reddish pink (or
white?) flowers in late spring.
 Best in part sun; very well drained
soils with occasional to moderate
water
 Cold hardy to -20 degrees F.
 Suncrest Growers propagates – Try
Deep Roots or International
Nurseries (they could probably
order)
© Project SOUND
Heucheras as medicinal plants
 Roots most common part used
 Primarily used as an astringent
 Control bleeding – cuts, abrasions
 Skin wash (for sores/rashes and as a skin
toner)
 Eye wash
 Cramps; baby’s colic (also for animals)
 Mouth wash for sore throat, mouth sores
 Horses’ saddle sores
 Other (general) uses:
 General tonic
 Fever
 ‘heart troubles’
 ‘liver troubles’
 Venereal diseases
© Project SOUND
https://waysofthewhorl.wordpress.com/2011/04/03/natural-
dyeing-take-one-alum-mordanting-with-heuchera-plants/
H. rubescens: another unique Heuchera
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
*Pink alumroot – Heuchera rubescens
©2002 Larry Blakely

12/11/2015
32
 Native to the west: SE OR south to
CA; east to southern ID, CO then
south to NV, UT, AZ, NM, N. Mexico
 In S. CA, grows in Peninsular Ranges,
Riverside/San Diego Counties.
 Dry, rocky places; 6000-11,000 ft.
© Project SOUND
*Pink alumroot – Heuchera rubescens
Gary A. Monroe, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HERU
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx
?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250065957
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
f/f7/California_Coast_Ranges.png
Sect. Rhodoheuchera
© Project SOUND
• H. longipetala
• H. acutifolia
• H. mexicana
• H. rosendahlii
• H. wellsiae
• H. rubescens
Mountains)
• H. abramsii
• H. elegans
• H. caespitosa
• H. hirsutissima
• H. lakelae
• H. sanguinea
Mountains: U.S.
West and Mexico
 Sierra California (Baja, Mexico)
and the Peninsular Ranges are
contiguous
 These and the Transverse Ranges
are a result of plate tectonics
© Project SOUND
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Geographic_Map_of_Mexico.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png
© Project SOUND
Pink alumroot: tidy, mat-like perennial
 Size:
 ~6 inches tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Small mound, becoming mat-like
 Very low-growing, but some
variability in size, leaf
characteristics
 Foliage:
 Small, medium to dark green,
rounded leaves
 Great variability in hairiness
 Roots: relatively short roots
Sheri Hagwood, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College.

12/11/2015
33
© Project SOUND
Pink & white flowers
 Blooms: April to Sept. along it’s
wide range. Likely April-June at
lower elevations. L.A. County.
 Flowers:
 On slender, 1 ft. stalks
 Small flowers are pink/white;
not as showy as some, but
pleasant
 Flowers bell-shaped, with
exserted stamens; hairy
 Great for hummingbirds
 Seeds: small dark seeds in dry
capsule
 Vegetative reproduction: via
short rhizomes
©2002 Larry Blakely
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: very well-drained
 pH: slightly acidic (5.0-7.0)
 Light: shade to part-shade; no hot
afternoon sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs plenty
 Summer: best with regular
water; Water Zone 2-3 to 3.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils,
but OK with regular garden
practices. ½ strength yearly in
containers.
 Other:
 Inorganic mulch
 Consider planting on slope or
near rocks
Sheri Hagwood, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
Small perennial
 As an attractive pot plant, along
or mixed pot
 In rock gardens, crevices
 Around a shady birdbath
 Small, evergreen groundcover
 Borders for planted beds; along
pathways©2009 Gary A. Monroe
©2002 Larry Blakely ©2011 Barry Breckling
Heuchera rubescens 'Yosemite'
 Natural cultivar
 Clusters of small white flowers atop
1 foot tall stalks appear in spring.
 Leaves are roundish and lobed.
 Wonderful perennial for a woodland
garden or under oaks.
 Part-shade to shade; occasional
water
 Available at Theodore Payne &
through El Nativo Growers
© Project SOUND
http://www.easttennesseewildflowers.com/gallery/inde
x.php/California-2012---Yosemite-Mammoth-Lakes

12/11/2015
34
Resources on gardening with Heucheras
© Project SOUND
http://ecx.images-
amazon.com/images/I/51jQvNC6GgL._SX336_BO1,204,203,20
0_.jpg
http://www.finegardening.com/book-giveaway-container-gardening-all-seasons
Other Heuchera Resources
 Heuchera Research site – Ryan Folk
https://sites.google.com/site/ryanheuchera/home
 Phylogenetic relationships and character evolution in
Heuchera (Saxifragaceae) on the basis of multiple nuclear
loci - Ryan A. Folk and John V. Freudenstein
http://www.amjbot.org/content/101/9/1532.full
© Project SOUND
2016 – ‘Green Oases in Dry Gardens’
© Project SOUND
http://www.bayareaecogardens.org/GWImage.php?image=398&source=gg&index=11&page=2

Heucheras 2015 - notes

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