Alchemilla alpina
alpine Lady's-mantle
Mountains of Europe, Greenland, and Iceland
Overview
Alchemilla alpina is a low, mat-forming perennial reaching 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) tall, spreading by a woody rootstock. Its rounded leaves are palmately divided right to the base into 5-7 narrow leaflets, dark green and nearly hairless above, and covered beneath with silvery, silky hairs that edge each leaflet in a thin silver line. Small yellow-green flowers, each about 0.12 inch (3 mm) across and lacking petals, are carried in loose clusters from June to August. It grows on mountain rocks, ledges, and short grassland on acidic to neutral ground, mostly at higher elevations. The silvery leaf undersides separate it from the larger common lady's-mantle, Alchemilla vulgaris. It needs cool, moist, free-draining conditions and does not tolerate prolonged summer heat or waterlogging.
Native Range
Native to the mountains of Europe, from Iceland and Greenland through the Scottish Highlands and Scandinavia to the Alps and Pyrenees. It grows in upland and arctic-alpine habitats, descending to lower ground mainly in the far north.Suggested Uses
Grown in rock gardens, troughs, gravel beds, and the front of cool borders, and between paving in stone. The silver-backed leaves hold water droplets after rain. It also suits alpine and scree plantings.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 6"
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Bloom Information
Yellow-green flowers open from June to August. They have no petals, the colour coming from four greenish sepals, and are followed by small dry single-seeded fruits.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Dark green above, silvery beneathGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Alchemilla alpina grows in full sun to part shade on moist, free-draining, gritty soil at a soil pH of about 5.0-7.0. It suits cool summers and struggles in hot, humid conditions, where the foliage can scorch or rot. Sharp drainage is needed, since waterlogged ground in winter kills the rootstock. It tolerates poor, stony soils and needs no feeding in lean rock-garden settings. Hardy to about USDA zone 3, it withstands hard frost and exposed sites. Self-sown seedlings appear in gritty ground but are easily removed.Pruning
Spent flower stems can be sheared off after flowering to limit self-seeding, and tired or marked leaves can be removed in spring. No other pruning is needed.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons