Heuchera

Heuchera
Heuchera
Heuchera elegans in Mount Wilson (California)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Heuchera
L.
Species

See text

The genus Heuchera (pronounced /ˈhjuːkɨrə/)[1] includes at least 50 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae, all native to North America. Common names include alumroot and coral bells. They have palmately lobed leaves on long petioles, and a thick, woody rootstock. The genus was named after Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677–1746), an 18th century German physician.

Alumroot species grow in varied habitats, so some species look quite different from one another, and have varying preferences regarding temperature, soil, and other natural factors. H. maxima is found on the Channel Islands of California, where it grows on rocky, windy, saline-washed ocean shores. H. sanguinea, called coral bells because of its terra cotta-colored flowers, can be found in the warm, dry canyons of Arizona. Gardeners and horticulturists have developed a multitude of hybrids between various Heuchera species. There is an extensive array of blossom sizes, shapes, and colors, foliage types, and geographic tolerances.

Contents

Food and medicinal uses

Though tangy and slightly astringent, the leaves may be used to liven up bland greens.

Natives of the Northwest U.S. have used tonic derived of Alumroot roots to aid digestive difficulties, but extractions from the root can also be used to stop minor bleeding, reduce inflammation, and otherwise shrink moist tissues after swelling.

Cultivation

The majority of Heuchera sold for gardens are hybrids of H. americana, such as 'Green Spice' (see illustration). [2] The original 'Purple palace' discovered in a Royal Palace in England is believed to be a H micrantha x H villosa hybrid, (New England Guide 2000) which was then crossed with H americana. A further group of hybrids arose from crossing Heuchera with Tiarella, to form Heucherella.

Selected species

Gallery

References

  1. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  2. ^ Armitage's Garden Perennials

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Heuchera — Heuchera …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Heuchera — n. A genus of North American herbs with basal cordate or orbicular leaves and small panicled flowers. Syn: genus {Heuchera}. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heuchera — (H. L.), Pflanzengattung, benannt nach Johann Heinrich v. Heucher (geb. 1677 in Wien; 1706 Professor u. Aufseher des Botanischen Gartens in Wittenberg, 1713 Leibarzt Augusts II. in Dresden, 1721 geadelt, st. 1747; Opera, Lpz. 1745, 2 Bde.); aus… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • heuchera — ● heuchera nom masculin (de Heucher, nom propre) Herbe vivace (saxifragacée) d Amérique du Nord, dont les fleurs forment des grappes ou des panicules blanc verdâtre ou pourpres, très décoratives …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Heuchera — Purpurglöckchen Heuchera × brizoides Systematik Überabteilung: Samenpflanzen (Spermatophyta) Abteilung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Heuchera — eleg …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Heuchera —   Heuchera …   Wikipedia Español

  • heuchera — /hyooh keuhr euh/, n. any of various North American plants belonging to the genus Heuchera, of the saxifrage family, having clusters of small, cup shaped flowers, esp. the alumroots. Cf. coral bells. [ < NL (Linnaeus), after Johann Heinreich von… …   Universalium

  • heuchera — noun Any of the genus Heuchera of herbaceous perennial plants …   Wiktionary

  • Heuchera — ID 40104 Symbol Key HEUCH Common Name alumroot Family Saxifragaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity N/A US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

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