Heuchera
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- HEW-ker-ah
- Description
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If you want to add bold, colorful foliage to your garden, heuchera might be just the plant you’re looking for. They make a wonderful addition to the garden and can be used as edgings in perennial borders and group plantings. The lighter-colored varieties stand out nicely in a lightly shaded garden.
Heuchera is an interesting family of perennials that is comprised of more than 50 species that are native to North America. Heuchera, commonly known as coralbells or alumroot, is hardy from zones 4 to 9, depending on species and cultivar. There are many species and cultivars available.
Coralbells and alumroot are primarily grown for their foliage, but many species also have attractive flowers that are favored by butterflies and bees. Flowering usually begins in June and continues throughout the growing season. Depending on the variety selected, coralbells can be grown in sun or shade. Many varieties develop their best leaf color in full sun. They prefer moist, well-drained soils that have been amended with organic matter like leaf compost or pine bark fines.
Try any of these cultivars to add interest and expand the color palette in your garden!
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: There are few insect or disease problems, but leaf scorch can be a problem for plants grown in full sun during hot, dry conditions.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Container Garden Pots on Hardscape Fence Planter Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Part Sun-Part Shade Gardens Containers at Pitt County Arboretum Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Muscadine Bed
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Amber Waves'
true amber-colored foliage that is brightest in the spring and darkens through the season
'Berry Smoothie'
- 'Canyon Belle'
clusters of bright red flowers above green foliage - 'Electra'
- 'Green Spice'
green leaves with dark purple veins that turn amber in the fall.
'Northern Exposure'
- 'Peachberry Ice'
- 'Pink Panther'
- 'Plum Pudding'
shiny deep purple foliage with pinkish-white blooms
'Pretty Pistachio'
Purple and Red leaves
Richly colored mounded leaves with attractive short flower stalks 'Palace Purple'
Foliage is olive green to bronze-green to a deep purple with a dark wine-red on the leaf underside.
Chartreuse to lime-green leaves and bright pink flowers 'Southern Comfort'
Striking leaves that change color as they mature from peach to amber - 'Amber Waves'
- 'Amber Waves', 'Berry Smoothie', 'Canyon Belle', 'Electra', 'Green Spice', 'Northern Exposure', 'Palace Purple', 'Peachberry Ice', 'Pink Panther', 'Plum Pudding', 'Pretty Pistachio', 'Southern Comfort'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Amber Waves'
true amber-colored foliage that is brightest in the spring and darkens through the season
'Berry Smoothie'
- 'Canyon Belle'
clusters of bright red flowers above green foliage - 'Electra'
- 'Green Spice'
green leaves with dark purple veins that turn amber in the fall.
'Northern Exposure'
- 'Peachberry Ice'
- 'Pink Panther'
- 'Plum Pudding'
shiny deep purple foliage with pinkish-white blooms
'Pretty Pistachio'
Purple and Red leaves
Richly colored mounded leaves with attractive short flower stalks 'Palace Purple'
Foliage is olive green to bronze-green to a deep purple with a dark wine-red on the leaf underside.
Chartreuse to lime-green leaves and bright pink flowers 'Southern Comfort'
Striking leaves that change color as they mature from peach to amber - 'Amber Waves'
- 'Amber Waves', 'Berry Smoothie', 'Canyon Belle', 'Electra', 'Green Spice', 'Northern Exposure', 'Palace Purple', 'Peachberry Ice', 'Pink Panther', 'Plum Pudding', 'Pretty Pistachio', 'Southern Comfort'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Heuchera
- Family:
- Saxifragaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used the plant medicinally
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America
- Wildlife Value:
- Tannin in the leaves is unappetizing to deer and rabbits.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Mounding
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Most flowers are bell-shaped and appear in clusters of various colors and sizes.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Orbicular
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are palmately lobed of various colors and sizes with long stems.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Redish to green flower stems often with fine hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Rabbits
