Tolmiea menziesii - Youth On Age

Family:	Saxifragaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Width:	0.5
Synonyms:	Tiarella menziesii
Range:	Western N. America. Occasionally naturalized in Britain[17].

Tolmiea menziesii (Youth On Age) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m and a width of 0.5m . It has a hardness rating of 7.
Youth On Age will flower in November to December. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Youth On Age will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Youth On Age prefers either dry or moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Youth On Age can grow in full or semi shaded areas.

Moist coniferous woods below 1800m[187], especially by streams[60].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• Is suited to a deeply shaded location
• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds

Cultivation Details

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in any good sweet garden soil that does not dry out in spring[200]. Prefers a fairly rich and not too heavy soil[200]. Requires some shade to prevent leaf-scorch[200]. Succeeds in dry shade[188]. Succeeds in the border or woodland[1]. Although perfectly hardy in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -17°c[200], this plant is often grown as a houseplant because of its interesting habit of producing new young plants on its old leaves[1].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Young shoots in spring - raw[118, 257]. Rather bitter[K].

• Leaves -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
A poultice of the fresh leaves has been used in the treatment of boils[257].

• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of young plants in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

A ground cover plant for a shady position[188]. Plants are best spaced about 60cm apart each way[208].

• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Hitchcock. C. L.
Author: Hitchcock. C. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1955

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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