Thriller

Class

Dicotyledonae

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Rosaceae

Order

Rosales

Genus

Alchemilla

Species

mollis

Description

A perennial herbaceous plant, growing up to 50 cm tall with a ground-covering habit, ideal for creating dense, uniform and monochrome cover in flowerbeds or borders, but also suitable for combining with other ornamental plants. Easy to grow, it requires partial shade and well-drained soil, free from waterlogging. It is prized both for its distinctive foliage – soft and downy with palmate, lobed leaf blades that, through guttation, become covered in water droplets creating a striking visual effect – and for its summer flowers in shades of yellow-green.

Varietal description

Alchemilla ‘Thriller’, also known as lady’s mantle, is a perennial that thrives in cool soil and has no particular requirements. It prefers partial shade and the early morning sun. The flower is dark yellow-green, and it flowers from June to July, sometimes lasting until mid-August.

curiosity and special features

The generic name, Alchemilla, derives from the Arabic word Alkemelych – meaning alchemy – in reference to the healing properties attributed to the plant by medieval alchemists due to the ability of its leaves to produce, through guttation, droplets of water resembling dew, known as ‘water of the sky’ and considered the purest form of water with magical properties, also used in the quest for the philosopher’s stone to transform metal into gold; the specific epithet,mollis, means soft or tender, like the leaves of Alchemilla, which are soft and hairy.

In the English-speaking world, it is known as ‘Lady’s mantle’ because, in the Middle Ages, it was associated with the Virgin Mary, as the plant’s leaf blades resemble the scalloped edges of a mantle.

It is also used in herbal medicine and as a cut flower for fresh or dried floral arrangements.

Origin and Diffusion

Native to the mountainous regions of Eastern Europe, particularly the Eastern Carpathians, the Caucasus and Turkey, it was introduced as an ornamental plant into British gardens in the late 19th century and used by leading landscape architects of the time, such as Gertrude Jekyll. Today, it is found in a range of varieties that are prized as ornamental plants throughout Europe and America.

Flower size

The flower is small, lending a sense of lightness and elegance to the inflorescence in which it is grouped.

Leaf

The Leaf has a palmate-lobed lamina, conferring additional ornamental value to the plant together with the Inflorescence.

Flowering period

It flowers from late spring to early summer for a duration of 30 to 45 days.

Inflorescence

Inflorescence umbrella.

Leaf color

Solid colour.

Plant height

The plant grows to a height of between 0.3 and 0.5 m, making it suitable for creating uniform cover with dense foliage from which the inflorescences emerge, resulting in a visually striking landscape effect.

Lifespan

Perennial plant.

Suggested planting locations

For the final effect of dense coverage given by the habit of growth, it is mainly used to decorate flowerbeds.

Stem/stem

It has a herbaceous stem and the plant has no thorns.

Flower

The flower has a simple shape, small size and plain petals. It is arranged in medium-sized umbel inflorescences. It flowers from late spring to early summer, with a flowering period of between 30 and 45 days. It is attractive to butterflies.

Growth

It exhibits Medium-Vigorous Growth, which is excellent for quickly achieving results with significant decorative visual impact.

Plant habit

Characteristic tapestry habit of growth, appreciated for creating dense cover.

branching

Medium branching gives a well-proportioned and well-tended habitus.

pH

For alchemilla, the optimal soil pH ranges from sub-acidic to neutral, with optimum values between 6.0 and 7.0.

soil preparation

Before transplanting, dig over the soil to a depth of 20–30 cm, removing any weeds, large stones and residues from previous crops. Then work in organic or slow-release chemical fertiliser, which will provide the necessary nutrients during the plant’s early stages of development. Also, break up any compacted or coarse clods of earth using a spade. To improve drainage of excess water, thereby preventing harmful waterlogging, create a raised bed by gently mounding the soil; finally, level the area carefully and prepare the planting holes at a suitable spacing.

Read more on the Joyflo blog

sun exposure

Place the plant in partial shade or light shade to encourage better vegetative growth; avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day.

Ideal climate and temperature

The ideal temperature is between 16 and 20 °C. The biological temperature range is between 4 and 32 °C; this variety is ideal for temperate climates and also tolerates the summer heat, provided it is well watered, and the winter cold.

Use

Thanks to its growth habit, the elegance of its foliage and the fact that it can be planted in partially shaded areas, it is favoured by landscape designers and gardeners of all levels of experience as a plant for use in
outdoor ornamental landscaping Landscaping

Hardiness

It is moderately hardy and requires the right exposure and soil with adequate drainage to allow excess water to run off.

Soil/medium

It prefers a medium, fresh and well-draining soil; for use in pots or planters a substrate for spring plants based on peat and perlite is recommended.

Maintenance

An easy plant to grow and look after; it requireslittle effort to care for.

cultivation tips

Some cultivation tips for achieving the best results in terms of vegetative growth and flowering:

Avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day Keep the growing medium dry at low temperatures

Composition

Alchemilla is suitable for creating dense, uniform, monochromatic clumps, but also for use in arrangements with other ornamental plants, following carefully composed, harmonious and soothing schemes, determined by a range of factors such as personal taste, the season and the duration of flowering, as well as the final height reached by each individual species; Recommended combinations include Ageratum houstonianum, Astilbe chinensis, Bergenia cordifolia, Bergenia purpurescens, Heuchera americana, Heuchera sanguinea, Platycodon grandiflorus and Tradescantia x andersoniana.

planting

For planting in flowerbeds, an average density of 7 plants per square metre is recommended to ensure each plant develops properly, thus achieving a well-proportioned and compact final composition with a striking visual effect created by the dense coverage. Position the seedling so that the root collar is just above the soil surface, taking care not to damage the roots, and water immediately after planting, preferably in the morning.

Reproduction/Propagation

Medium Division of the heads.

Irrigation

Use rainwater, or alternatively tap water or canal water with an optimal neutral pH, either manually or via an irrigation system. When transplanting, as the plant is more susceptible to stress in its new location, support it to encourage proper root development by preventing the soil from drying out and maintaining a constant level of moisture, whilst avoiding over-watering. Subsequently, as lady’s mantle does not tolerate waterlogging, take care to allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.

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Fertilization

During pre-transplant soil preparation, carry out basic fertilisation by burying slow-release organic or chemical fertiliser. After proper establishment in the new planting site, during the spring-summer period, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser for ornamental plants to the soil, i.e. to be diluted in the irrigation water, without exceeding the doses and frequencies.

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Pet friendly

No cases of toxicity following ingestion by pets are known.

Edibility for humans

Not edible when fresh. Ornamental varieties are not edible.

Human toxicity

Avoid ingesting fresh Leaf and Flower.

advise 1

Lady’s mantle is an easy-to-care-for perennial that thrives in shade and partial shade. It can be propagated by dividing plants at least two years after they have flowered or before they start growing again in spring. First, remove any dead wood from the rhizomes, then divide them into several sections, each with 4–5 dormant buds.