Heuchera americana (Coral Bells) A Champion of Plants for NYC Tree Pits!

Heuchera americana, commonly called Coral Bells or Alumroot, is a bang-on plant for tree pits in NYC, and it's a North American native wildflower!

Resistant to dog pee (yeah, I said it!), doesn't need too much water, won't compete with feeder roots of trees, and good in zones 4-9, this little baby has the potential to knock your socks off with it's great color selection, cool and interesting flowers (on some, not all), and resilience that will make you smile. I highly recommend using this plant in your projects that have tree pits in scope.

Here are some tips and tricks to get yours to perform like the little rock stars they are:

Heuchera americana grows best in filtered sun or part shade in moist, well drained and humus rich soil. If you need to add humus to your tree pits, try adding 1 to 2 inches of compost or wood chips to the top of your soil and let nature do the rest. Feeder roots live at the top of the tree pit surface, so it's good to be mindful and keep root disturbance to a minimum.

Remove the Winter foliage that doesn't look so hotsy-totsy early Spring, before new leaves emerge. It's a good idea to divide plants every 3-4 years to give plants a boost and remove dead growth. Plant in the early Spring to allow new additions to benefit from Spring rainfall and develop strong root systems that will help plants keep going during the Summer heat.

Coral Bells need good drainage and will tolerate drought and rocky soils. They prefer soils with a circumneutral pH. In regular speak that mean between 6.5 and 7.5.

An organic, slow release fertilizer added once every 6 weeks will help keep your plants growing and thriving without shifting them into the over-drive that chemical fertilizers cause. Think of it in terms of eating protein for sustained energy instead of binging out on Redbull.

For several weeks in late Spring or early Summer, flower panicles will emerge on stalks above the foliage. Some varieties have quite interesting flowers. I recommend checking out what they look like in bloom online if you want to add some additional pop! You may have to special order some varieties at a more boutique type nursery. In this case it is recommendable to order them early in Spring. They will sell out quickly.

Another great thing about Heuchera is that passersby are much less tempted to pick the flowers or take plants because they are not that showy in general. If you have ever planted tree pits in an urban environment, you know the feels.

Our little friends can get their butts kicked if soils retain excess moisture in Winter. They can also get something called Summer dieback fungus disease if overcrowding inhibits air circulation. Try using the plant as a ground cover with a bit of space in between, as well as application of a horticultural oil such as Neem oil to assist with this challenge.

Heuchera have shallow roots and a dense crown that rises above ground as plants develop. This tendency can cause the crown of the plant to heave from the ground during cold Winters. Add Winter mulch in Northern zones to help prevent this problem. In the city we often see Winter greens as decoration for the holidays that stay put until Spring. This. Works. And some people think it's pretty, too.

Alumroot will die back in the Winter and re-emerge early Spring. They get bigger and bolder every year they are in place. So plant, pay them a little attention, and enjoy what this awesome specimen brings to the urban landscape!