Heuchera 'Dark Chocolate' PP23454

Common Name: Coral Bells

This Heuchera was a crowd pleaser in our trials because it looked fabulous all season long. We loved how proportional this plant was—it formed a dense clump of foliage with flowers neatly positioned just above the foliage without a lot of bare stem showing like most Heucheras. Slightly ruffled, very dark chocolate purple leaves with a light luminescent silvering kept their dark color all season.

In early summer, this plant was a heavy bloomer with relatively large flowers densely clustered on each scape. Pink buds opened to creamy white flowers, contrasting well with the deep purple scapes. Mature plants typically produce 8-10 flower scapes apiece, providing a beautiful show in the landscape and in containers.

Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers. Try cutting a few of the tall flower scapes for fresh bouquets.

Height:

8.0-12.0 Inches

Spread:

12.0-18.0 Inches

Scape Height:

16.0-24.0 Inches

Hardiness Zones:

4,5,6,7,8,9

Flower Color:

White Shades

Foliage Color:

Purple shades

Sunlight:

Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun) Part Shade (4-6 hrs. Direct Sun) Full Shade (< 4 hrs. Direct Sun)

Water Requirements:

Average Water Needs

Soil Quality:

Average Soil Quality Fertile Soil Quality

Soil Chemistry:

Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0) Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0)

Bloomtime:

Early Summer

Attracts Wings:

Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds

Seasonal Interest:

Evergreen

Growth Rate:

Medium

Garden Style:

Patio Container Cottage Formal Modern

Other Features:

Border Plant Container Cut Flower Cut Foliage Easy To Grow Edging Mass Planting Salt Tolerant

Origin:

Native to North America

Heucheras are easy perennials to grow and fit nicely in the front of any border, rock garden, or container. They grow most vigorously and have the stongest colors when grown in partial shade (preferably afternoon shade). They can also be grown in full shade but their growth rate will be very slow. Some varieties can withstand full sun in northern climates if they have consistant moisture, but their colors tend to fade with the intensity of the sun. The soil should be amended with organic matter prior to planting. It should also have good drainage and a neutral pH.

Heucheras are evergreen in areas with mild winters. If properly sited out of the way of winter winds and with reliable snow cover, gardeners in northern regions may also find their heucheras acting as evergreens. If the plant looks tattered by early spring, shear off any damaged leaves to make room for the vibrant new foliage which will fill in quickly.

Heucheras can be grown under Black Walnut trees because they are resistant to the toxin Juglone which the trees emit from their roots.

Heucheras are also salt tolerant. They are useful in the north along pathways which are salted in winter or for people gardening in coastal regions. Occasionally in northern regions, heucheras have a tendancy to heave out of the ground because of the freeze/thaw cycle. To combat heaving, add an extra layer of compost around the plant's roots in the fall. In the spring, if the plants have heaved at all, the new roots will grow into the fresh new layer of compost.

Characteristics