Practical
Plants

Heuchera glabra

Alpine Heuchera

a perennial evergreen member of the Heuchera genus in the family Saxifragaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[3]. Not choice[3].

Plant part
Leaves

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 antiseptic, salve, styptic and tonic[3]. It has been used to treat inflammation of the testicles caused by syphilis[6].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Styptic
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
VD

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 used in fixing dyes[3]. The root is rich in tannin(it contains about 9 - 20%), is this the active ingredient that acts as a mordant?[3]. A good ground cover plant for the woodland garden[4].

Product or use
Mordant
Product or use
Tannin

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
Western N. America.
Habitat
Stream banks and crevices of moist rocks from the coast to above the timber line[7].
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[5].

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]. Apt to hybridize with other members of this genus[2]. A very ornamental plant[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  3. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  5. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  6. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  7. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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