Varieties of Heuchera or Coral Bells

Heuchera, commonly known as Coral Bells, are hardy, low-maintenance perennials grown primarily for their wonderfully colourful foliage. Forming neat, compact mounds, their leaves come in an exceptional range of shades including lime green, amber, peach, bronze, silver, burgundy and almost black, often with contrasting veins or beautifully ruffled edges. Delicate flower spikes rise above the foliage during summer, adding another layer of interest and attracting pollinating insects. Evergreen to semi-evergreen, Heuchera provide valuable colour for much of the year and make excellent ground cover, edging and container plants. With many striking Heuchera Varieties available, it is easy to find foliage colours to complement almost any garden planting scheme.

Heuchera are clump-forming herbaceous perennials belonging to the Saxifragaceae family. Their greatest ornamental feature is their foliage, which forms compact, rounded mounds of broad, shallowly lobed leaves. Decades of breeding have produced an extraordinary selection of Heuchera Varieties, transforming what was once principally a green-leaved perennial into one of the most versatile foliage plants available to gardeners.

Leaf colour varies enormously between cultivars. Coral Bells can be found with fresh lime and chartreuse foliage, warm caramel, peach and copper tones, silvery-grey leaves, rich burgundy and plum shades, or exceptionally dark purple foliage approaching black. Many varieties have contrasting veins, marbling or coloured undersides, while scalloped, wavy or ruffled leaf margins provide additional texture.

Although grown primarily for their leaves, Heuchera also produce attractive flowers. Fine, wiry stems rise above the foliage during summer carrying airy sprays of numerous tiny bell-shaped blooms. Depending on the variety these may be white, cream, pink or red, and flowering can continue in flushes into autumn. The flowers are visited by bees and other pollinating insects.

Most Coral Bells retain much of their foliage through winter, particularly in milder areas, although some cultivars are semi-evergreen and may lose more leaves during severe weather before producing fresh growth in spring. This long season of foliage interest makes Heuchera particularly useful for keeping borders colourful outside the main flowering season.

For companion planting, Heuchera combine especially well with ferns and Hostas in lightly shaded borders. The larger Hosta leaves and finely divided fern fronds contrast beautifully with the rounded Heuchera foliage, while selecting lime, copper, silver or dark-leaved Coral Bells allows sophisticated foliage combinations to be created even when none of the plants is in flower.

Height and Spread of Heuchera

The size of Heuchera varies between cultivars, but most form compact foliage mounds approximately 20–30 cm high and wide, with flowering stems rising considerably higher. Individual Heuchera Varieties can be larger or smaller, so customers should check the eventual dimensions of their chosen cultivar.

Their restrained, clump-forming habit means Coral Bells fit easily between larger shrubs and perennials without becoming invasive. When planted repeatedly, the individual mounds can also create an attractive tapestry of foliage across the front of a border.

How Hardy is Heuchera?

Heuchera are hardy perennials well suited to UK gardens. Hardiness varies slightly between individual Heuchera Varieties, but many commonly grown cultivars are extremely hardy.

Most Coral Bells prefer fertile, moist but well-drained soil and partial or dappled shade. Darker-leaved varieties can often tolerate more sun, which may intensify their colour, while pale, yellow and lime-leaved cultivars can be susceptible to bleaching or scorching in strong sunlight. They dislike permanently waterlogged ground and very dry soil.

Uses in Garden and Landscape

Few foliage perennials offer the colour range and versatility of Heuchera. Their compact habit makes them excellent for the front of borders, edging paths, underplanting shrubs and filling gaps between larger plants. Repeated planting can also create effective ground cover, either using a single cultivar for consistency or several contrasting Heuchera Varieties to produce a tapestry of colour.

Coral Bells are particularly valuable for brightening partially shaded areas, where flowering choices can sometimes be more limited. Silver and lime foliage can illuminate darker positions, while burgundy, bronze and almost-black varieties create dramatic contrast against fresh green planting.

Their compact dimensions also make Heuchera excellent container plants. Different foliage colours can be combined with seasonal flowering plants, grasses or small evergreen shrubs, while their long-lasting leaves provide continuity as shorter-lived flowers come and go. In contemporary planting schemes, bold blocks of contrasting Heuchera foliage can be particularly effective.

Care Tips

Heuchera are easy to grow and require relatively little maintenance. Plant in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, selecting the amount of sun or shade according to the foliage colour and requirements of the individual cultivar. Keep newly planted Heuchera well watered while establishing and avoid allowing container-grown plants to dry out completely.

Remove faded flower stems when the display is finished and tidy damaged or tired leaves as required. One characteristic worth watching is that the woody crown can gradually rise above soil level as plants age. Applying an annual mulch around the crown helps maintain moisture and protect the roots; older plants can also be lifted, divided and replanted slightly deeper to maintain vigour.

With their combination of colourful foliage, compact growth and straightforward care, Coral Bells provide reliable structure and colour through much of the year.