Plant Library

Other Names:  False Alum Root

Description:

A plant that resonates with fairy-folk and tales of elves; ideal with ferns and other woodland shade plants

Ornamental Features

Forest Frost Fringecups features dainty racemes of lime green cup-shaped flowers with white overtones and pink tips rising above the foliage in early spring. Its attractive serrated lobed leaves emerge dark red in spring, turning grayish green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous burgundy in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Forest Frost Fringecups is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Forest Frost Fringecups is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Forest Frost Fringecups will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 32 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.