Heuchera villosa var. macrorhiza
Giant Alumroot
- North American native, these are outside of their historical range in Ontario
- Part shade. Will grow in sunny locations with consistent moisture
- Average garden or woodland soil
- Foliage height is roughly 16", flower height 24" to 36". Mature spread roughly 24"
- Thrives in part shade gardens and woodlands
Despite originating a few climate zones to the south and west of Ottawa, they have been plunking along perfectly happily since the spring of 2017.
I planted some of the seedlings that grew from the seeds I planted in sun and some in dappled shade. They seem to be happiest in dappled shade, although that may have more to do with varying soil conditions than light conditions, since the shaded location has developed a nice, woodland soil biology over the last few years of leaving the leaves, and everything else from the garden, in the garden.
Their blooms appear in early September, adding a frothy airiness, and a source of food or pollinators, to the fall garden, often with a few blooms continuing into October. Their foliage stays green and fresh right through to, and even passed, hard frost and their semi-evergreen nature means that they are among the first leaves in the garden in the spring.
If you are looking for a companion species for spring ephemerals in part shade, I would definitely recommend this lovely species.
They grow to around 30” wide. The foliage is around 16” tall and the flowering spikes top out at around 36”.
As they have matured their blooming season has shifted a few days earlier, resulting in at least some of their tiny seeds to consistently mature before being hit by a hard frost. Oddly enough, winter sown seeds, which I surface sow into containers, germinate very well but I have yet to find a volunteer seedling in the garden.
Their foliage is around 16” tall and their flowering spikes top out at around 36”.
