Heuchera: Colourful Foliage for Shady Gardens

Heuchera is a perennial grown for its leaves rather than its flowers: purple, caramel, lime, silver or almost black. It stays decorative from spring to late autumn, and many varieties keep their leaves even under snow. It thrives in part shade, so it is often planted alongside hostas and ferns. Here is how to choose, plant and care for heuchera.

What is heuchera

Heuchera is a herbaceous perennial of the saxifrage family from North America. It forms a compact mound 20–40 cm tall of rounded, lobed leaves. In May–July slender stems carry tiny bells in white, pink or red — hence the name coral bells. Close relatives include × Heucherella (heuchera × tiarella) with deeply cut leaves.

Varieties by leaf colour

• Purple and burgundy — 'Palace Purple', 'Forever Purple', 'Plum Pudding'.
• Caramel and orange — 'Caramel', 'Peach Flambe', 'Marmalade'.
• Lime and yellow — 'Lime Marmalade', 'Electric Lime'.
• Silver — 'Silver Scrolls', 'Sugar Frosting'.
• Near black — 'Obsidian', 'Black Pearl'.

Dark varieties cope with more sun; pale and yellow ones need shade or the leaves scorch.

View full-size photoHeuchera remains decorative in part shade with hostas and ferns

Where and when to plant

• Position: part shade or dappled light — under trees or on the north or east side of a house.
• Soil: loose, fertile and well drained; standing water in winter and spring is the main killer.
• Timing: spring or early autumn; container plants any time in season.
• Planting: do not bury the crown; space plants 25–40 cm apart.

Care through the season

Water moderately, avoiding both drought in heat and waterlogging. Feed in spring with half-strength balanced fertiliser — too much makes the colours duller. Cut off flower stems after flowering if you grow it for foliage. Leave the leaves on in autumn to protect the crown, removing only damaged old leaves in early spring.

Rejuvenation and propagation

As it ages, the crown lifts out of the soil, exposing a woody rhizome that suffers in winter. Every 3–4 years, lift the clump in spring or early autumn, divide it into pieces with leaves and roots and replant, burying the rhizome up to the base of the leaves. You can also root rosette cuttings with a piece of rhizome in shade under cover. Seed does not come true to variety.

View full-size photoHeuchera leaves come in purple, caramel, lime, silver, and near black

Problems and pests

• Bleached or scorched leaves — too much sun for a pale variety.
• Crown rot in spring — standing meltwater.
• Sudden wilting, chewed roots — vine weevil larvae.
• Holes in leaves — slugs.

What to plant with heuchera

Heuchera is the perfect colour accent for a shade garden. It pairs beautifully with hostas, ferns, astilbes and brunnera, and a row of mixed colours makes a striking edging. Compact varieties suit pots on a terrace. More ideas: shade-loving flowers and a bed that blooms all season.

Heuchera is considered non-toxic to people and pets. Every flower A–Z is in our types of flowers catalogue.

FAQ

Does heuchera like sun or shade?

Part shade is best. Dark-leaved varieties tolerate more sun; pale and yellow ones scorch without shade.

Does heuchera need winter protection?

Usually not — it is hardy. Mulching helps, and young plants or lifted crowns benefit from a top-up of compost.

Why is my heuchera lifting out of the ground?

It is natural ageing of the rhizome. Divide and replant every 3–4 years, burying the rhizome deeper.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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