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Heucheras



I really like Heucheras and having just had my normal early morning stroll through the garden, I was struck by the number of them I have collected over the past few years.

While perfectly hardy in my zone 4 garden, their slowly-expanding foliage lend an air of tropical luxuriance to my otherwise northerly garden.

Common Name


Commonly known as Coral Bells or Alum-root, there are approximately 55 natural species of Heucheras.

In warmer climates it is even considered an evergreen but I suspect I would have to take mine down to Virginia before they’d consider being evergreen. While this isn’t a bad idea, I would have to grow them in containers – where they do quite nicely by the way – I’d be more inclined to take myself to Virginia in the winter than an otherwise perfectly hardy perennial Heucheras.

This North American native has been cultivated in gardens since the mid 1600’s and was in fact named for Dr. Johann Heinrich Heucher (1677-1747) a Professor of Medicine at Wittenberg University.

Prefers damp


The reason I was struck by how many Heucheras are growing in my garden is because they are uniformly growing poorly this droughty year. This is a plant for the shady garden or damp, sunny garden. It is not a plant for the dry, shady garden where, unfortunately because of our dry weather, it is currently living. I have conclusively proven through my own dismal experience that this plant loves damp soils and will simply not grow well unless the soil is uniformly moist.

A word to the wise out there should be sufficient. Their poor growth became evident this week as I redug my garden and needless to say, I turned the sprinklers on because I do wish to keep my collection alive and dare I say, thriving. After two days of water, I can say the Heucheras look a lot better on this morning’s walk. The garden they are in definitely requires the addition of organic matter to increase its water-holding properties so compost and mulches will be the order of the day. I really need to preserve available moisture in the soil to keep it uniformly moist – not dry one day and swimming the next.

Planting


I do have a few new Heucheras to plant this year and when I’m installing them, I’ll ensure their crowns are just above the soil line when I backfill the soil around the root. Burying this crown is a recipe for disaster in this plant.

After my lesson this summer, I’ll also heavily water the plant all fall to ensure it has a chance to set roots and establish itself before the ground freezes. Because of its evergreen tendency, it can loose excessive moisture in the fall before it goes fully dormant. Providing enough water is the key to winter survival. I have the hose lying in this garden to remind me and I’d recommend you do something the same. Compost is almost a necessity with Heucheras so if you intend to keep it thriving - water. Not only does it want uniform moisture, it wants a rich soil to go with it.

Propagation


Luckily this plant is easily propagated; the way I’m abusing them this summer, I may need a few extra next spring. They grow quite easily from seed and there are several varieties available through seed houses like Stokes.

Mature plants also divide if you do so carefully; use a sharp shovel to cut off a section of crown that has grown away from the main central crown and you should be fine. As always, the named cultivars that are now appearing in garden centres will not come true from seed and have to be propagated by division. Normally, it will take at least three years before a plant can be divided.

The breeders, like Dan Heims at TerraNova (www.terranovanurseries.com) are going guns blazing on this plant. I’m told the 55 species breed hybrids themselves in their native haunts and that it is becoming difficult to find distinct species. As a gardener and not a botanist, I’ve decided I do not care whether the plant is H. americana or H.x brizoides; what I want is a good looking shade-loving plant.

Varieties


‘Amber Waves’ is the newest Coral Bells to hit the market and is going to be the hottest plant next spring on the sales benches. It has a yellow-green leaf with decided reddish tones. I’ve just planted two of these in my garden and to be honest, I’m not sure I like them. The yellow-green-red leaf does look a bit sickly when seen from a non-gardener’s point of view. However, if you plant this next to a blue-leaved plant (like a small blue-leaved hosta) then the yellow tones will stand out and may be quite attractive. I have moved a suitable hosta and planted them together. Mind you, I did all this into a back area of the garden. If the combination works, I’ll move them into a more prominent place.

The oldest hybrid Heuchera, but still my favourite, is ‘Palace Purple’. This stunning deep purple-green leaved plant continues to thrive and anchor some green-leaved hosta and fern combinations. This has been a no-work plant for me; I don’t even cut it down in the fall but leave its collapsing leaves to protect the crowns.

Between the newest and oldest Heucheras are a stunning array of leaf colours and shapes that now exist on garden centre benches. While I’ll continue to add to my collection, I promise to water them from now on in their shady bower. I hope you’ll do the same.






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