Starting a series within a series, I will be highlighting shade plants that grow well underneath trees, especially California Live Oak. I have a deep shade area beneath many trees here in my own garden and i am constantly looking for plants that can help green this area. — Douglas

Siskiyou Alum Root (Heuchera merriamii)

By Scot Loring Used under Creative Commons License.

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Heuchera merriami, or Alumroot, grows up to 10,000 feet elevation but it is hardy to only -10 F. The leaves are small, with scalloped edges, and form a low clump near the ground, while the flowering stalks rise up about six inches, with open clusters of delicate, creamy flowers. Alumroot is an excellent specimen for a rock garden and grows well in filtered or afternoon shade with typical garden water at lower elevations. In a garden this plant stands out when several plants are grouped together and the flowers are massed and appear as one showy cluster. Heuchera merriamii is perfect in a small, rock garden growing with Penstemon davidsonii, Penstemon rydbergii, Penstemon heterodoxus, Arnica parryi, Aster ascendens, Campanula rotundifolia, Eriogonum umbellatum, Geranium californicum, and Heuchera hirsutissima. — Las Pilitas Nursery

More information on Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima):

• Siskiyou Alum Root (Heuchera merriamii) in Wikipedia
• Siskiyou Alum Root (Heuchera merriamii) at Las Pilitas Nursery
• Siskiyou Alum Root (Heuchera merriamii) at San Marcos Growers

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Previously in the Interesting Plant series: 

• Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima)
• Wood Strawberry/California strawberry (Fragaria californica)
• Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus/Diplacus aurantiacus)
• Red Stem Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera/Cornus sericea)
• Blackfruit Dogwood (Cornus sessilis)
• California Spikenard and Elk Clover (Aralia californica)
• Bush Anemone (Carpenteria californica)
• California Pipevine/California Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica)
• Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)
• Begonia Rex (Painted-leaf begonia)
• Leonotis leonurus
• Matilija Poppy (Romneya)
• Melocactus matanzanus (Turk’s Cap Cactus)
• Coleus “Redhead”
• Tiarella ‘Pink Skyrocket’
• Bacopa monnieri (Water hyssop)
• Lycoris squamigera (Naked Lady Lily)
• Kong Coleus (Plectranthus/Solenostemon scutellarioides “Kong Series”)
• Crassula plegmatoides
• Agave victoriae-reginae
• Mountain Cornflower (Centaurea montana)
• Euphorbia ‘Black Bird’
• Firecracker vine (Ipomoea lobata)
• Eryngium yuccifolium
• Dahlia ‘Karma Choc’
• Echeveria Agavoides
• Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
• Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)
• Seaside Daisy, Beach Aster (Erigeron glaucus)
• Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) 
• California Lilac (Ceanothus)
• Bigberry Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
• Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana)
• Malva Rosa (Lavatera assurgentiflora)
• Baby Blue-Eyes (Nemophila)
• Coral Bells or Alum Root (Heuchera)
• Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) 
• Echeveria ‘Lola’
• View all past “Interesting Plant” posts

Interesting Plant is a series from A Gardener’s Notebook blog and podcast that highlights the most interesting plants I find in my Internet and real-world travels — Douglas

Related posts:

Winter Rose, Palm Springs, CA [Photo] Garden Alphabet: Basil Yellow Mums [Photo] Succulent closeup via Instagram [Photo] Photos: In the neighborhood…March 9, 2015 – Van Nuys, California