Botanical Name: Heuchera diversifolia
Family: Saxifragaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Saxifragales
Genus: Heuchera
Synonyms: Heuchera micrantha diversifolia. (Rydb.)Rossend.Butters.&Lakela.
Common Name: Alum Root, Crevice alumroot, Coral bells
Habitat:
Heuchera diversifolia iis natiove to western N. America – British Columbia to California. It grows on moist banks of humus and rocks in woodland below 600 metres, from British Columbia to California. Gravelly banks and rock crevices from low elevations to the sub-alpine zone.
Description:
Heuchera diversifolia is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in).
It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Cultivation:
Succeeds in any good sweet garden soil that does not dry out in spring. Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. Prefers a well-drained fairly rich and not too heavy soil. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. Apt to hybridize with other members of this genus. This species is probably best treated as a sub-species of H. micrantha.
Edible Uses: Young leaves – cooked and eaten . Not very palatable.
Medicinal Uses: The root is antiphlogistic, antiseptic, astringent, febrifuge and ophthalmic.
Other Uses: The root can be used as an alum substitute, this is a mordant used in fixing dyes. The root is rich in tannin, is this the active ingredient that acts as a mordant?. A good ground cover plant for the woodland garden. Plants should be spaced about 30cm apart each way.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuchera
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Heuchera+diversifolia
