Hairy alumroot

Hairy alumroot: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Broad, low clump of leaves; with the flower sprays about 50 cm tall and 60 cm wide.

Leaves

Large, lobed like a maple leaf and softly hairy; green, or caramel, bronze or purple in named forms; evergreen.

Flower

Airy sprays of tiny white to pale pink flowers on long, hairy stems, July to September.

Roots

A woody rootstock that rises above the soil over the years.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March and October

Why grow it?

• Large, handsome evergreen leaves that give structure all year round.
• Late flowering from July to September, when many shade plants have finished.
• The tiny flowers attract bees and bumblebees.
• Copes better with summer heat and humid weather than many other heucheras.
• Ideal as ground cover or edging in partial or full shade.
• Attractive in a pot on a shady patio.

Hairy alumroot: where does it grow best?

• Partial or full shade; morning sun is fine, but strong midday sun scorches the leaves.
• Humus-rich, well-drained loam or clay, acid to neutral.
• Moderately moist: it should not dry out in summer or sit wet in winter.
• Allow 45–60 cm between plants.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Hosta: Large, smooth leaves beside the hairy, lobed foliage, in the same partial shade.
• Ferns: Fine, feathery leaves as a contrast in the shade.
• Japanese forest grass: A cascading grass that makes a classic pairing with heuchera.
• Japanese anemone: Flowers at the same time, in late summer and autumn.
• Barrenwort: An evergreen ground cover for the same shady spot.

Hairy alumroot: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant from March to May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and work compost or leaf mould into the soil.
3. Set the plant so that the crown sits just at soil level, no deeper.
4. Space plants 45–60 cm apart; the foliage looks best in groups of 3 or more.
5. Water well straight away.
6. Mulch with leaf mould, keeping the crown of the plant clear.

Care

Watering

Water regularly in dry spells, especially in the first year and in pots.

Feeding

In April, a layer of compost or a little organic fertiliser; too much makes the leaves floppy.

Tidying

In March, cut off old and damaged leaves before the new ones appear.

Spent flowers

Cut the flower stems off at the base after flowering, in October.

Earthing up

If the woody crown rises above the soil after a few years, mulch around it with compost or replant it deeper.

Tip: Replant it every 3–4 years, a little deeper: that keeps the woody crown in the ground and the clump young and full.

Hairy alumroot: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and October.

When: It needs hardly any pruning. In March, cut off old and damaged leaves; in October, the spent flower stems.

How:

• In March, cut brown, torn or frost-damaged leaves off at the base.
• After flowering, cut the flower stems off at the base.
• Leave healthy evergreen leaves in place: they feed the plant.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September, every 3–4 years: split the clump into pieces each with a rosette and roots, and replant them a little deeper than before.

Cuttings

In spring or late summer: cut off rosettes with a short piece of stem, remove the lower leaves and root them in moist cutting compost.

Hairy alumroot: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Hardy to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The leaves stay on through winter but may be a little damaged after hard frost.
• Frost can lift the plant out of the soil: firm it back in spring.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and avoid soggy compost in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Vine weevil: The grubs eat the roots: the plant wilts and comes out of the soil with no resistance. Apply nematodes against the grubs in April–May or August–September.
• Rising crown: After a few years the woody crown sticks up above the soil and dries out. Divide the plant and replant the pieces deeper.
• Scorched leaves: Brown patches and edges in strong sun. Move it to a shadier spot.
• Rust: Orange-brown pustules on the undersides of the leaves. Cut off affected leaves and give the plants more air.

Through the year

• March: Cut off old leaves. Plant or divide.
• April: Add compost. Nematodes against vine weevil grubs.
• May: Plant. Water in dry spells.
• June: Water in dry spells.
• July: Flowering begins.
• August: In flower. Take cuttings. Nematodes against grubs.
• September: Last flowers. Plant or divide.
• October: Cut off spent flower stems. Plant.
• December: The evergreen leaves decorate the garden.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name villosa means ‘shaggy’, after the soft hairs on the leaves, leaf stalks and flower stems.
• The genus is named after the German physician and botanist Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677–1747).