'Berry Smoothie’ alumroot is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial in the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae) and a patented hybrid cultivar of hairy alumroot ( H. villosa ) and American alumroot ( H. americana ) . 'Berry Smoothie' was granted a plant patent on April 12, 2011. It is a member of the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). Plant in organically rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade and do not cover the crown. 'Berry Smoothie', like its parents, does best in shady locations. If grown in full sun, provide consistent moisture to ensure that the soil does not dry out. If you site the plant in a cooler climate, you can apply a winter compost mulch after the ground freezes to prevent root heaving. Divide clumps in spring every 3 or 4 years. 'Berry Smoothie' with white spring blossoms and rose-pink leaves that darken to purple-pink and provide year-round interest in a shady part of the landscape. Foliage is essentially evergreen in warm winter climates. The flowers are small and white and sit atop 2-foot-high stems. You can remove the stems of faded flowers to encourage additional bloom. Use in borders or groups of woodland, winter and shade gardens. The showy evergreen leaves make this a plant for year-round interest. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Frost heaving of roots can occur when winter temperatures fluctuate widely. Potential diseases include powdery mildew, rust and bacterial leaf spot. Potential insect pests include weevils and foliar nematodes. More information on Heuchera .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 4 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 8 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Mounding
Leaf color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Reniform
Leaf margin
Doubly Crenate
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Colorful rose pink leaves that gradually darken to purple-pink. The metallic-looking leaves retain good color throughout the growing season. Foliage typically forms a basal mound 12 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
White spring blooms in June into July sit atop slender, wiry stems rising above the foliage mound, typically 24 to 28 inches tall.