Pruning foamflower
Advice for October in the Netherlands
Foamflower needs selective tidying, not annual stripping. Remove damaged old leaves and spent flower stalks individually while retaining healthy foliage and young rosettes. Months are guidelines for the Netherlands and Belgium; also assess growth, flowering and the weather forecast.
Foamflower — October
Check this first
Do not give an overall trim simply because of the month. Retain healthy stems, foliage and flowers; carefully tidy completely dead remains. Spring is a practical time for the main tidy, while removing faded flowers is a separate choice.
Pay attention to this
- Retain healthy foliage, including leaves that survived winter.
- Do not cut runners blindly; they may carry young rosettes.
- Address drought or winter waterlogging instead of pruning harder.
Frequently asked questions
- Must all old foamflower leaves go?
- No. Limit spring tidying to damaged or dead leaves and retain healthy foliage.
- What should I cut after flowering?
- Only the slender spent flower stalks; retain the rosettes beneath them.
- Is foamflower the same as Heucherella?
- No. This advice covers Tiarella cordifolia; Heucherella is a hybrid between Tiarella and Heuchera.