Heuchera americana
Rock Geranium
a perennial evergreen member of the Heuchera genus in the family Saxifragaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Saxifragaceae
- Genus
- Heuchera
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Height
- 0.45 m
- Spread
- 0.3 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The root is very astringent and has been used in the treatment of cancer and also as an external remedy in sores, wounds, vaginal discharges and ulcers[5][9]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and sprinkled onto wounds etc[7]. It is taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and gastric ulcers[9]. It should be used with some caution since excess irritates the stomach and can cause kidney and liver failure[9]. The root is harvested in the autumn and is dried for use in decoctions or as a powder[9].
- Product or use
- Astringent
- Product or use
- Cancer
- Product or use
- Vulnerary
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The root can be used as an alum substitute, this is a mordant that is used in fixing dyes[3]. The root is rich in tannin and it has been suggested that this is the mordant[3]. A good ground cover plant for the woodland garden[4]. Plants should be spaced about 35cm apart each way[6].
- Product or use
- Mordant
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Soil surface
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - Southern Ontario to Connecticut and Michigan, south to Oklahoma and Georgia.
- Habitat
- Loamy woods and shady calcareous slopes and rocks[11].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination is usually fairly rapid. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. The seed can also be sown in the middle of spring in an outdoor seedbed and planted out in early summer. Alternatively, you can sow the seed in an outdoor seedbed in the middle of summer for planting out in the following spring. Division in March or October[1][2]. It is best to divide the plants in August or early September, making sure that the woody roots are planted quite deeply with only the crown of foliage above the ground[8].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in any good sweet garden soil that does not dry out in spring[1]. Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade[1][2]. Prefers a well-drained fairly rich and not too heavy soil[2]. A polymorphic species[10], it is apt to hybridize with other members of this genus[2].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00