Foamflower

Foamflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, dense mat 15–30 cm tall and 30–60 cm wide, spreading by runners.

Leaves

Heart-shaped, slightly lobed and softly hairy, 5–10 cm; fresh green, red to bronze in winter.

Flower

Upright spikes of 15–30 cm with small, starry flowers with long stamens, from April to June.

Colour

White, sometimes tinged pale pink; pink in some cultivars.

Roots

Shallow roots and surface runners that form new plantlets at their tips.

Flowering: April–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and June

Why grow it?

• One of the loveliest ground covers for shade and partial shade.
• Evergreen leaves that turn red to bronze in winter: attractive all year round.
• Flowers from April to June with airy white spikes, an early source of nectar for the first bees.
• Smothers weeds under trees and shrubs without becoming invasive.
• Low-maintenance: no pruning, just a little tidying.

Foamflower: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade to shade; full sun scorches the leaves.
• Humus-rich loam or clay, acid to neutral, like a woodland floor.
• Normally moist: not dry in summer and not waterlogged in winter.
• Plant 30–40 cm apart; as ground cover, 7–9 plants per m².

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.25 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fine green fronds above the low carpet, in the same shade.
• Hosta: Large leaves as a contrast to the small, lobed ones.
• Lungwort: Flowers early in spring in the same shade, with spotted leaves.
• Barrenwort: Another evergreen ground cover for dry or moist shade.
• Siberian bugloss: Small blue flowers beside the white spikes, at the same time.

Foamflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor too wet.
2. Work a few spadefuls of leaf mould or compost into the soil, especially under trees.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants so the runners can fill the space.
5. Water in well and spread a thin layer of leaf mould around the plants.

Care

Watering

Regularly in the first year. After that in dry summers, especially under trees that take up a lot of water.

Feeding

A thin layer of leaf mould or compost in March; nothing more is needed.

Mulching

Leave a thin layer of fallen leaves or spread leaf mould: it keeps the soil cool and open.

Deadheading

In June, cut faded spikes back to the leaves.

Tidying

In March, remove damaged and withered leaves before the new ones appear.

Tip: Add some leaf mould at planting and every spring: in cool, humus-rich soil under trees it quickly forms a dense, evergreen carpet.

Foamflower: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and June.

When: Foamflower is hardly pruned. Remove damaged leaves in March and cut off the faded spikes in June.

How:

• In March, cut or pull off withered and damaged leaves; leave the healthy evergreen foliage.
• In June, cut faded flower stems back to the leaves.
• If the runners creep too far, cut them off and use the young plantlets elsewhere.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Runners

Young, rooted plantlets grow at the ends of the runners. Cut them off in March–April or September–October and plant them straight away.

Division

In March–April or September–October, lift an older clump and divide it into pieces with roots and a few leaves.

Foamflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection needed in Belgium.
• The leaves stay on in winter and turn red to bronze.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and wrap it in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: Holes in the leaves and gnawed flower stems in spring. Pick them off in the evening or set a beer trap.
• Vine weevil: The plant wilts and comes loose because white grubs eat the roots. Remove the grubs and use nematodes in spring or late summer.
• Drying out: Brown leaf edges and limp leaves in drought or too much sun. Water, mulch and, if needed, move to more shade.
• Root rot: In heavy, wet soil the plants rot in winter. Work in leaf mould and avoid spots where water stands.

Through the year

• March: Remove withered leaves. Add leaf mould. Plant or divide.
• April: Flowering begins. Planting. Watch for slugs.
• May: Full flower.
• June: Last flowers. Cut off faded spikes.
• July: Water in dry spells.
• August: Water in dry spells. Runners form young plantlets.
• September: Planting. Cut off plantlets from the runners.
• October: Plant or divide. Fallen leaves can stay.
• November: The leaves turn red to bronze.
• December: The evergreen leaves brighten the woodland edge.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Tiarella means ‘little tiara’ and refers to the shape of the seed capsule.
• Foamflower is related to coral bells (Heuchera); a cross between the two is ×Heucherella.
• In its natural habitat it forms carpets on the floor of moist deciduous woodland.