Hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa) — Plotwright

›

›

Hairy alumroot

Habit (mature) · Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5

Limited coverage

Hairy alumroot

Heuchera villosa

A native southeastern US heuchera with large rounded velvety lobed leaves (the namesake 'hairy' is the fine pubescence on the foliage) + airy panicles of small white-to-pink flowers on tall slender stems in late summer. Among the most heat- and humidity-tolerant heucheras — solves the southern-shade heuchera-rot problem that plagues most Heuchera americana × sanguinea garden hybrids. The genetic parent of many heat-tolerant Heuchera cultivars.

Native: 16 US states

Review: Source-backed

Climate fit: broad (74/100)

Filler

Border

Pollinator

Light

Part shade

Water

Moderate water

Mature size

12-30" tall · 18" apart

Hardy in zones

4a-9b

very cold to frosty winters

Summer heat range

Cool-Hot

cool to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

No

Related products

Sponsored

Winter protection and storage

Frost cloth, plant covers, bulb/tuber storage supplies, burlap, and cold frames.

Search winter protection and storage on Amazon →

Wildlife protection

Bird netting, deer fencing, rabbit guards, trunk guards, and crop covers.

Search wildlife protection on Amazon →

Drainage and aeration

Perlite, pumice, raised-bed mix, aerators, and drainage-focused containers.

Search drainage and aeration on Amazon →

Transplanting and establishment

Trowels, transplant spades, starter fertilizer, root stimulators, and watering bags.

Search transplanting and establishment on Amazon →

Propagation

Rooting hormone, propagation trays, cutting tools, division knives, and labels.

Search propagation on Amazon →

Plotwright may earn a commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Native across 16 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Cold hardiness

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7b

Plotwright

Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)

Well-suited

In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 41 ecoregions — 40 climate-resilient through 2070 · 1 suited today. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

Arizona Mountains forests

Atlantic coastal pine barrens

Blue Mountains forests

Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

Central Tallgrass prairie

Central-Southern Cascades Forests

Chilean Matorral

Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/hairy-alumroot

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC BY-SA 2.5

Backs 1 field

Image

Community photos

The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.

Plotwright

Climate-aware plant planning — every plant checked against your zone now and in 2050.

support@arteractive.co

Explore

Reference

Policies

© 2026 Plotwright