Is Heuchera a shade plant?

Category: home and garden landscaping
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One of the most versatile perennials you can grow in zones 4-9 is Coral Bells (Heuchera). Here's a plant that will grow in any amount of sunlight, from full sun to full shade, as long as you water it. Ideally, coral bells prefer partial shade and average moisture levels.



Similarly, can Heuchera tolerate sun?

While hosta, ferns, and heuchera (coral bells) are typically considered best for shady or part-sun locations, some varieties do well in sunny spots. Sun-Tolerant Heucheras: Generally green or darker-colored heucheras tolerate sun well, though others are being bred with more sun-tolerance.

Also, what does the plant Heuchera look like? Heuchera plants form round mounds with a woody rootstock or crown at their base. Small bell-shaped flowers on tall stems attract hummingbirds and make nice cut flowers. Their leaves are rounded, lobed, hairy, and evergreen—even when covered in snow.

Correspondingly, do heucheras like sun?

They do well in all well-drained soils, from chalk to clay. Most prefer semi-shade. As a rule of thumb the darker coloured Heucheras withstand full sun better than the lighter coloured ones. They will tolerate dry soils but only when established - normally six months after planting.

Does Heuchera dieback in winter?

Heuchera-Coral Bells is a perennial plant, which means that it dies back in the winter but comes back up again in the spring. Ideally you should cut them back right to ground in the late fall after you have experienced a good hard freeze in your area.

38 Related Question Answers Found

Why do my coral bells keep dying?

But the biggest problem was the tendency of some varieties to rot away. Coral bells have shallow roots that need moisture, but too much moisture, especially during winter dormancy, induces stem and crown rot diseases. When buying coral bells, you may want to ask for its family tree.

How do you prune Heuchera?

How to Prune Heuchera Coral Bells in the Spring
  1. Examine your coral bells plant in early spring.
  2. Pull out or clip off at the base any dried flower stems still remaining on the plant from the previous summer.
  3. Hold back the new growth in the center of the coral bells plant and snip away the old foliage at the base of the leaf stems, 1/8 inch above the soil.

How do you pronounce Heuchera plant?

Yep, it's pronounced HEW-ker-uh.

How many types of Heuchera are there?

Heuchera. Due to so many new varieties coming out each year, lots of older varieties get lost for ever. (Our collection contains well over 400 varieties.) We are trying hard to change that, so that all you collectors out there can have some.

How do you propagate Heuchera?


Take leaf-bud cuttings of heuchera any time during the growing season, although spring is best because it allows the parent plant plenty of time to recover before winter. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone, and place it in either seed-starting mix or a 50/50 mix of peat and perlite.

What grows well with Heuchera?

They perform well in pots, woodland gardens, rock gardens and shade gardens. Some companion plants include other heucheras, hosta, ferns, astilbe, helleborus, ornamental grasses, coreopsis and phlox.

Is Heuchera an evergreen?

There are lots of different kinds of coral bells (Heuchera), but all are native to North America and they all are evergreen. Most of them bloom in spring and early summer. However, Heuchera villosa, which has the common name alum root, blooms in late summer and early fall.

Should you cut back Heuchera?

Heucheras: Do not cut back. The semi-evergreen growth protects the plants from the temperature changes and accompanying heaving common in shallow rooted plants.

Why are my Heuchera dying?

"The most likely cause of a heuchera dying like this is if the crown was buried too deep. You could try lifting it up, removing dead or dying leaves from the stem, and replanting high." We'll try this to save the existing plant, but also good to know for future heuchera plantings.

How do you look after Heuchera Palace Purple?


How to Care for Palace Purple Coral Bells
  1. Ensure that the "Palace Purple" plant gets several hours of sun for optimal foliage color.
  2. Add a 1- to 2-inch layer of organic matter to the soil around your plant in the spring.
  3. Remove coral bell blooms as soon as they begin to wilt.
  4. Replant a "Palace Purple" plant if the base becomes woody and lacks foliage.

What plants go well with Heuchera?

What Plants Go With Heuchera?
  • Annuals. Impatiens, begonia, torenia, petunia and verbena all look good when grown alongside coral bells.
  • Bulbs. Crocus, snowdrops, daylilies and iris are just a few of the numerous bulbs that combine well with coral bells.
  • Perennials.
  • Shrubs.

Why are my Heuchera leaves turning brown?

Bacterial diseases can develop on coral bells, leading to brown spots on leaves. Psuedomonas appears as reddish-brown spots and may cause leaves to become abnormally shaped. Xanthomonas produces yellow rings, or halos, around small brown spots that appear on the leaves. Botrytis produces larger brown spots.

Will Creeping Jenny choke out other plants?

Golden Creeping Jenny
Its long, trailing stems have round chartreuse leaves and yellow flowers. Creeping Jenny covers large areas quickly, putting out roots all along its stems and choking out weeds. Although creeping Jenny can be an aggressive grower, the cultivar "Aurea" is relatively well-behaved.

How do you fertilize coral bells?

Fertilizing Coral Bells
A light application of a 5-10-5 or 12-6-6 type fertilizer in spring works well for coral bells. Broadly, nitrogen is known to support healthy plant foliage and phosphorus supports flowering and color.

Will coral bells spread?


Coral Bells, aka Heuchera
There are so many flowers and plants that no one article (or even ten articles) could cover them all. Each variety has its own varieties, leading to hundreds more. So, if you're asking "Do coral bells spread?," the answer is yes.

How fast does Heuchera grow?

Growth Habit: The foliage of most cultivars reaches 8 to 12 inches in height with a spread of 1 to 2 feet wide. When blooming, the flower stalks reach 1 to 3 feet tall.

Should I deadhead coral bells?

Coral bells will bloom again after the first flush if they are deadheaded. In some cases, deadheading takes the form of removing the individual blooms after they have faded, but because coral bell flowers are so tiny, this is not practical. Instead, remove the entire flower stalk.