May – June
What’s blooming now—Crevice Alumroot

Crevice Alumroot (Heuchera micrantha) is a locally native species that is well loved for its long blooming period (early Spring to mid-Summer) and graceful flower stems that rise above a low mound of foliage. Its other common name, Coral Bells, refers to its abundance of delicate, bell-shaped flowers. Alumroot is water-wise, dependable, and requires only a little maintenance to be a low fire risk. In Portola Valley, it does well in garden beds or borders with moderate drainage and protection from hot sun: north-facing slopes, beneath oaks, or in mixed woodland. The flowers are a nectar source for hummingbirds and attract native bees and some butterflies.

The only challenge posed by Alumroot is choosing which one to plant. The local species (Crevice Alumroot) has pale pink flowers and medium-green leaves, but cultivars and other California species of Heuchera expand the palette of both flowers and leaves toward more subdued or more vivid. There is also variation in the overall plant size and growth form (clumping to spreading). Calflora provides information on all the California species of Alumroot, and Calscape can help you find nurseries that carry them.

Below are a few examples of Alumroot that are blooming now in Portola Valley.

Heuchera is called Alumroot because the roots have a high tannin content, giving them astringent properties like those of the chemical compound alum. The roots were used medicinally by Indigenous tribes as a poultice and to stop bleeding. And, as noted in M.K. Anderson’s Tending the Wild (2005), in Spring, the new leaves were eaten.

 Brought to you by The Conservation Committee