Heuchera and Heucherella for the

Garden
Ringing the Coral Bells
The Heuchera and xHeucherella Story

By Dennis Carey and Tony Avent

Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.
www.plantdelights.com
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC 27603
919.772.4794

Heuchera 'Georgia Peach'

Introduction

The genus heuchera, and its intergeneric hybrid x heucherella, are enchanting woodland
plants, grown primarily for their foliage, although many also offer a charming floral
display. In the last 15 years, an enormous number of new cultivars have been developed
and made available to gardeners. Breeders have made astonishing breakthroughs in leaf
color, flower longevity, and flower size. We have trialed a large number of these and
offer what we think are the best performers. We urge our readers to swing by the garden
on our Open House Days in order to see our collection and to check out our web site to
view those which we have selected as our favorites.

History and Background

Heuchera goes by the common names "coral bells" and "alum root". The former name
refers to the red flowers seen on the popular garden species Heuchera sanguinea. The
latter name refers to the fact that the tannin-rich, astringent roots can be used like alum in
the pickling process. The roots are also used as medicine to shrink tissues in those with
nose bleeds, sore throats, ulcers, and piles. Heuchera is closely related to tiarella (foam
flower), and the two genera have been crossed to create the intergeneric hybrid x
heucherella, to which we give the common name "foamy bells". Coral bells and foamy
bells have become very popular with native plant enthusiasts because they are attractive
and easy to grow.

Heuchera are native to North America from Florida west to California and north into
southern Canada. They are generally found in woodland or mountainous (montane)
environments growing primarily in crevices or on well-drained steep slopes. That being
said, I have seen heucheras in the wild on steep outcrops in Tennessee and also in wet
seeps in the agave-laden deserts of Arizona, so they can tolerate a range of conditions.

Morphology

Heuchera is an herbaceous shade perennial that grows as clumps of leaves arising from a
central crown held at, or just below, the soil surface. The crown is a short central stem (a
caudex) with leaves arranged in a congested spiral with 6 leaves arising from the stem for
each complete turn of the spiral. Each node also contains a bud that will eventually form
a new leaf or an inflorescence. The primary ornamental feature of heuchera is the leaf
color. In the wild, the leaves are usually green with occasional contrasting purple veins
and silver or white interveinal patches. During the winter they may take on bronze or
purple hues. Hybrid cultivars have a wide range of bright colors including vibrant red,
yellow, orange, bronze, pink, and purple, often with an interveinal silver-white pattern
too.

Heuchera "flowers" are actually inflorescences; a collection of many small bell-shaped,

or spidery "florets" on a single floral structure. The flower stalk (peduncle) stretches 2 to
3 times the height of the canopy. Heuchera flowering stalks are highly branched (up to 30
branches) and each branch holds a dozen or so small colorful florets that vary in color,
including greenish-white, white, pink, coral, crimson, scarlet, and red.

Taxonomy

The genus heuchera consists of 35 to 50 species (depending on who you ask) that are all
native to North America. There are 7 primary species east of the Mississippi river, more
than 27 species that are endemic to the West, and at least one species is native to the
Midwest. However, there is some conflict as to the exact species designations because the
species interbreed with each other where their habits overlap resulting in many
intermediate forms. The genus heuchera was named by Carl Linnaeus for the botanist and
medicinal plant expert Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677-1747) of Wittenberg
University in Germany. If you want to pronounce heuchera after its namesake, use
"HOY-kher-uh" with a guttural 'kh' sound that has no English equivalent. However, most
Americans pronounce the name as "HYOO-ker-uh"....I say, HYOO CARES!

Heuchera belongs to the family Saxifragaceae which contains other ornamental plants
such as astilbe, astilboides, bergenia, mukdenia, saxifraga, rodgersia, and tiarella. The
name Saxifragaceae comes from the Latin saxum meaning "rock" and frangere meaning
"break". Plants in this family are often seen growing in cracks and crevices of stony
places and their roots are thought to contribute to the erosion and breakdown of rocks.
The genera heuchera and tiarella are very closely related and have been artificially
crossed to create the intergeneric hybrid genus x heucherella.

Breeding Programs

Heuchera americana was discovered by the first American colonists and brought into
European gardens in the 1600s. By the 1800s European gardeners were also growing
Heuchera richardsonii, Heuchera cylindrica, and Heuchera villosa. As is so often the
case, the first breeders of this native American gem in the late 19th and early 20th
century were Europeans. Among the earliest breeders was Emile Lemoine of France who
was active from the 1890s until World War I. He primarily worked with crosses of
Heuchera sanguinea and Heuchera americana.

Alan Bloom of Blooms of Bressingham Nursery in England was actively breeding plants
from the 1930s to the 1990s and focused on creating cut-flower hybrids, for which he
used Heuchera micrantha, Heuchera americana and Heuchera sanguinea. Also in the
1930s, an American, C. O. Rosendahl, at the University of Minnesota was creating hybrid
crosses between Heuchera sanguinea and Heuchera richardsonii to combine red flower
color and cold tolerance.

The majority of the early hybrids were collectively known as Heuchera x brizoides. This
group includes hybrids using Heuchera americana, Heuchera bracteata, Heuchera
cylindrica, Heuchera micrantha and Heuchera sanguinea. Heuchera x brizoides cultivars
all have bell shaped flowers of white, pink or (most commonly) red and leaves with a
varying amount of silver on the face. Modern breeders often use members of this group
as parents in their own programs. Commercially, Heuchera x brizoides has been replaced
by improved modern hybrids but some still live on in collections and as a parent group
for modern breeding programs.

Each heuchera species contributes valuable ornamental traits to the mix such as plant
size, leaf color, flower color, heat/humidity tolerance or cold tolerance. Heuchera
maxima has large open flowers and is drought tolerant, Heuchera sanguinea has red
flowers and is tall. Heuchera alba has large tubular white flowers and is a small plant.
Heuchera pilosissima has small pink flowers and is drought tolerant. Heuchera pubescens
has strong silver patterning in the leaves and large bell-shaped flowers. Heuchera
micrantha has been used as a source of ruffled leaves and purple/bronze leaf color. It is
also small plant with bell-shaped flowers. Heuchera villosa is a large plant, is very
tolerant of heat and humidity, has bell-shaped flowers and also has some bronze or purple
leaf color. Heuchera americana is a large plant, is shade tolerant, mildew resistant, has
silver markings on the leaf face, and is very heat tolerant. Heuchera cylindrica is a large
plant that makes its offspring taller and wider.

In the 1950s, Lee Lenz of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont California
started hybridizing Heuchera maxima (a large species from the Santa Barbara Channel
Islands) with Heuchera sanguinea to create hybrids for the southern California market.
These large, colorfully flowered hybrids are known as the "Rancho Santa Ana hybrids".
They are very drought tolerant but not very cold hardy. In the 1980s Dara Emory of the
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden used small montane species native to California (Heuchera
hirsutissima, Heuchera merriamii) crossed with Heuchera sanguinea to create the
"Canyon hybrids" which are small and have intense flower color. The breeding work at
Santa Ana Botanic Garden continues today, led by Bart O'Brien.

The first big break through in purple foliaged heuchera was Heuchera 'Palace Purple'. It
was discovered by Brian Halliwell in 1980 in a seed lot growing at the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew near Kew Palace. Although popular, many of its seed-propagated offspring
have an inferior purple color. The original plant was awarded with the 1991 Perennial
Plant Association "Plant of the Year" award and with a prestigious Award of Garden
Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society. Although the cultivar 'Palace Purple'
was initially given the scientific name Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia, it turned out
there was a tag reading error. The original seed was collected from a naturally occurring
purple-leaved plant by Edgar Wherry in the southern United States, where Heuchera
micrantha is not native. It was later determined to be the southeast US native Heuchera
villosa var. macrorrhiza.

Since the 1980s, breeders and collectors have been selecting other purple-leaved strains
that are superior to 'Palace Purple'. Most of the modern purple-leaved hybrids come from
a parent that originated from a cross between 'Palace Purple' and a purple and silver-
leaved seed strain of Heuchera americana called Dale's Strain. This cross, which occurred
at North Carolina's former Montrose Nursery, created a superior purple-leaved hybrid
strain named by nursery owner Nancy Goodwin as Heuchera 'Montrose Ruby'. Heuchera
'Montrose Ruby' was passed around to many breeders who have used it as a parent to
create the wonderful colored-leaf forms we see today.
Modern breeders have been very busy releasing well over 200 cultivars (as of 2009) of
heuchera and xHeucherella in a short time. These new perennials display never-before-
seen foliage colors and flower combinations.

Arguably the most prolific modern heuchera breeder is Dan Heims, owner of Terra Nova
Nurseries in Oregon. He has been instrumental in collecting unusual sports and color
breaks from plants in his tissue culture program. He has released heucheras with
incredible breakthroughs in foliage color including silver, gold, orange, and chocolate.
Terra Nova's program began with its first patented heuchera in 1993, Heuchera
'Chocolate Ruffles' PP 8965, and then exploded into a dizzying array of cultivars with
seemingly every trait imaginable.

Most recently, the Terra Nova folks have created new xHeucherella cultivars and as of
2009, have released at least 14. Among their best are the yellow-leaved sports 'Stoplight'
and 'Sunspot' that arose in their tissue culture program. Dan Heims's heuchera breeding
program is quite large, with as many as 10,000 crosses made every year.

Charles and Martha Oliver of The Primrose Path Nursery in Pennsylvania started
breeding heuchera in the 1980s using Heuchera x brizoides as well as Heuchera
americana, Heuchera cylindrica, Heuchera pubescens, Heuchera hallii, and Heuchera
pulchella. Their first patented heuchera was Heuchera 'Petite Pearl Fairy' PP 11,058 in
1998. They have released 39 Heuchera and nine xHeucherella to the general market over
the years, but the most horticulturally important is Heuchera 'Frosted Violet' PP 15,085 in
2002, one of the first Heuchera villosa hybrids.

Thierry (pronounced Cherry) Delabroye is a breeder in northern France who has a small
collector's nursery. He has released 12 cultivars of heuchera since 2005, based on
Heuchera villosa. Resulting in hybrids that have proven to be much more tolerant of hot,
humid conditions. Since his 2004 introduction of Heuchera 'Caramel' PP 16,560. Thierry
has focused on bronze and red colored leaves, but also selected the chartreuse cultivar
'Citronelle' from his tissue cultured specimens.

One of the most interesting breeding breakthroughs has been the intergeneric crossing of
heuchera with tiarella to create x heucherella. The original cross was made by Emile
Lemoine in France in 1912. Alan Bloom made the same crosses in the 1950s that resulted
in some commercial releases and Tony Huber did the same in 1983. Crossing heuchera
with tiarella creates plants with traits that are intermediate to both parents. The leaves are
usually deeply lobed and have a central maroon marking like tiarella. The heuchera
parent provides a range of leaf colors including bronze, yellow and silver to the offspring.
Although tiarella normally spreads by runners, this trait is moderated in x heucherella.
This intergeneric cross does not produce very many seed. The cross works best if the seed
parent (momma) is a heuchera. All xHeucherella are sterile and thus cannot be used in
further breeding efforts.
Landscape Use

The attractive foliage of heuchera and xHeucherella is very valuable to garden designers
because it provides a season-long splash of color. Colorful foliage is much more valuable
in garden design than flower color because flowers are often short-lived. However,
heuchera flowers should not be discounted because they bring an open, airy, informal
flavor to the garden during part of the growing season. Gardeners can reliably count on a
full season of purple, bronze, chartreuse, or silver foliage color in their garden when they
incorporate heuchera. Designers can use heuchera in partial shade locations in the same
way that they use hosta. Heuchera provide the same rosette growth habit as a small or
medium-sized hosta with a larger array of foliage and flower colors. In addition, heuchera
are not very palatable to deer and can be used as a substitute for hosta in gardens that are
being dashed by Dancer and blitzed by Blitzen.

Some good companions for heuchera and xHeucherella include carex, ajuga, phlox, wild
ginger, fern, cimicifuga, hosta, epimedium, and tricyrtis. Group the purple-leaved
cultivars with other purple plants such as Japanese maple or purple smoke tree (Cotinus
coggygria) to create a purple and silver haven. Contrast the purple-leaved cultivars with
complimentary colored foliaged or flowering plants such as yellow (Lysimachia 'Aurea'),
pink (Lychnis) or white (Aloysia virgata). Similarly, pair the trees and shrubs listed
above with yellow- or bronze-leaved heuchera to create a contrasting color palette. Use
the silver-leaved cultivars with other silver or white plants in a formal garden or in a
night garden. They look great with white-flowered Hydrangea 'Annabelle', Phlox 'David',
and moon vine. Create a riot of hot colors by using the red-, pink-, or bronze-leaved
cultivars with other hot colors like red, orange, and yellow.

Culture

The only downside to heuchera is that they are short-lived unless they are divided every
3-4 years as the crown becomes woody. Unlike hosta and good wine, heucheras do not
get better with age. They like an open, well-aerated soil that has good drainage. Good air
movement is also important, so a light open woodland or part-sun spot is perfect.
Northern gardeners have found that a layer of winter mulch helps protect the heuchera
crowns in the colder end of their range.

Hybrid heuchera have a wide variability of cold tolerance and heat/humidity tolerance.
Eastern species are more heat and humidity tolerant than western ones. Cultivars with
Heuchera micrantha heritage are not as cold or heat tolerant as Heuchera villosa and
Heuchera richarsonii offspring. The western species tend to melt in the summer heat and
humidity of the south but Heuchera villosa, Heuchera americana, and Heuchera
pubescens perform very well in humid gardens. The hybrid xHeucherella are generally
less heat and cold tolerant than either parent.

Heuchera and xHeucherella are light shade to part sun perennials with good drought
tolerance. In North Carolina, a site with 3 to 5 hours of dappled sunlight per day is
perfect. Some heuchera can tolerate full sun, especially in northern states as long as the
soil doesn't remain bone dry for too long.

Heucheras prefer neutral pH soils and while they will grow fine in slightly acid soils, they
will not fair well in extremely acid soils. What heuchera also will not tolerate is heavy
soil combined with winter moisture...both sure killers. A raised bed is best because it will
keep the soil well drained and improve air circulation.

Propagation

Commercially, all heuchera and xHeucherella are produced in tissue culture but are easy
for the home gardener to propagate. Be aware that is it illegal to asexually propagate any
patented plant (by divisions or cuttings) and that almost all heuchera and xHeucherella on
the market today are patented. It is ok to grow plants from the seed of patented plants,
however.

Heuchera are generally self-sterile and so gardeners who want seed will need to plant
more than one species or cultivar. The flowers appear in the summer and the seeds will
be ready six weeks after pollination when the seed pods turn brown and split open. The
seed can be collected and sown immediately. Germination will occur in 30 days and the
seedlings will be ready to pot up by fall.

In addition, heuchera and xHeucherella can be divided. Dig up the three-year-old clumps
and pull the rooted offsets apart. The smaller offsets may need to be potted, then
replanted in a well-prepared bed. I have done this in both summer and winter with good
success. The offsets can also be treated like a stem cutting, and will root easily without
any rooting hormone as long as they are protected from desiccation during the rooting
process. With a little more care, gardeners may also have success by removing a leaf at
the base along with a small piece of stem tissue and rooting the leaf/stem cutting.

Pests and Diseases

The astringent (bad tasting) heuchera and tiarella leaves are generally left alone by deer
and rabbits. This makes them a great substitute for hosta where the deer pressure is high.
Just remember that, in the middle of winter a ravenous deer or rapacious rabbit will eat
anything, including a heuchera.

Heuchera and xHeucherella are generally not affected by insect pests in the garden.
However, heuchera may occasionally be pestered by black vine weevils (especially in the
Pacific Northwest) which bore into the crown and kill the tops. Untreated, they will
eventually kill the plant but black vine weevils can be controlled by systemic insecticides.
Rarely, foliar nematodes will cause ugly discolored patches on the leaf and there is no
control for nematodes ... avoidance is the key. Buy plants only from nurseries that scout
for and remove infected plants.

In hot humid gardens, some cultivars will experience summer dieback due to the fungus
sclerotinia. Gardeners should select cultivars that are known to be tough for their area.
Good air circulation is the most important preventative measure, so be sure to keep other
plants from overgrowing your heuchera.

Container Growing

Heuchera and xHeucherella are superb in mixed containers, where they prefer well-
drained potting mixes without a lot of fertilizer. Keep the pots well watered in the
summer but do not over-water in the winter. The pots will need some protection from
cold winter temperatures if the container are not insulated. The foliage that these plants
provide and their well-behaved growth habit make them ideal for creating stunning
combinations.

Heuchera Species, Groups and Cultivar List

Today, there are hundreds of heuchera and xHeucherella cultivars on the market. Below
is a list of many interesting and historical cultivars. At Plant Delights Nursery and
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, we strive to try all of the new cultivars for their tolerance
to our hot, humid Hardiness Zone 7b climate.

Heuchera americana 'Bartram' (Bartram Coral Bell) This is a fabulous older selection of
Heuchera americana from the garden of plant explorer John Bartram (of Franklinia fame)
in Pennsylvania. Heuchera 'Bartrum' has the typical dark green foliage on a 1' tall x 18"
wide clump, overlain with striking dark red veins fading into the leaf center...some silver
blotching at maturity. This one is unique in the ever expanding world of heuchera.
(Hardiness Zone 4-9)

Heuchera americana 'Dale's Strain' (Dale's Strain Coral Bell) This seed strain was found
in North Carolina, propagated by Dale Hendricks, founder of North Creek Nursery in
Pennsylvania, and consequently sold around the world. The leaves are green with white,
red, and a network of different color veins on a 1' tall x 18" wide clump. Heuchera 'Dale's
Strain' is a very vigorous coral bell, great for naturalizing in wooded areas. (Hardiness
Zone 4-9)

Heuchera americana 'Eco-magnififolia' (Eco Magnififolia Coral Bell) From Weaverville,

NC comes this dazzling Don Jacobs selection of Heuchera americana ssp. heteradinia.
The 1' tall x 18" wide clump feature foliage with a stunning silver overlay with green
veins and a green edge. The leaf veins change to brilliant purple in cool weather,
providing an even more incredible contrast. Each heuchera makes a 18" wide clump,
perfect for the woodlands garden. (Hardiness Zone 4-9)

Heuchera americana 'Garnet' (Garnet Coral Bell) This is one of the most famous
Heuchera americana selections, from Dick Lighty, retired director of Pennsylvania's Mt.
Cuba Center. Each 1' tall x 18" wide clump of Heuchera 'Garnet' has green leaves until
cool weather, when the entire center of the leaf turns a brilliant garnet red with a striking
green edge. This coral bell is a real eye catcher in the woodland garden. (Hardiness Zone
4-9)

Heuchera 'Blackout' PP 20,613 (Blackout Coral Bell) Heuchera 'Blackout' from

Belgium's Dirk Scheys is the blackest of the coral bells. The glossy jet black leaf with a
purple underside forms a vigorous but compact clump to 1' tall by 18" wide. In the garden
it should be blended with gold foliage plants and light airy textures for best effect. The
clumps are topped with spikes of small white flowers in spring. (Hardiness Zone 4-7)

Heuchera 'Brownies' PPAF (Brownies Coral Bell) Heuchera 'Brownies' is another superb
coral bell from French breeder Thierry Delabroye. Just like its sister seedling, Heuchera
'Caramel' , Heuchera 'Brownies' contains genes from the heat-loving Heuchera villosa,
along with a number of other species. Heuchera 'Brownies' contains will make a vigorous
clump to 1' tall by 2'+ wide. The clump is adorned with hairy olive-brown leaves. Heck,
it's not just the leaves that are hairy, the stems are hairy, the flower stalks are hairy...hang
on a minute, and I'll check the roots. The plants are topped in summer with tall spikes of
small white flowers. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Caramel' PP 16,560 (Caramel Coral Bell) I first saw the handiwork of French
breeder Thierry Delabroye on a trip to Holland. I returned home with a plant of Heuchera
'Caramel', and I planted it beside other coral bells that were on trial. By the end of the
summer (more than 100 days over 86 degrees F), most of the coral bells were dead.
However, Heuchera 'Caramel' loved the weather. The reason is the use of the heat-loving
Heuchera villosa in the breeding line. The 1' tall by 2' wide hairy clumps emerge with
butterscotch foliage which changes to peachy-orange as the season progresses. These
sun-tolerant plants are topped in summer with tall spikes of small white flowers.
(Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' PP 8965 (Chocolate Ruffles Coral Bell) This hard-to-find
Heims heuchera is a real color breakthrough. The leaves are a deep chocolate brown, with
vivid purple undersides...yes, I looked! The leaves are deeply cut and heavily ruffled on
the edges. The 2' wide clumps are topped with 2' tall scapes of insignificant flowers
during summer. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Citronelle' PP 17,934 (Citronelle Coral Bell) If you like the yellow-leaf coral
bells but they haven't proven to be heat tolerant in your climate, your solution is here.
From France's Thierry Delabroye comes Heuchera 'Citronelle', a gold leaf mutation from
his wonderful Heuchera villosa hybrid, Heuchera 'Caramel'. Like its parent, Heuchera
'Citronelle' makes a 1' tall by 18" wide clump of golden foliage, topped in summer with
tall spikes of small white flowers. Heuchera 'Citronelle' doesn't seem to enjoy full sun
like most of its siblings ... must be a blonde thing. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Creme Brulee' (Creme Brulee Coral Bell) This Terra Nova introduction has
indeed been quite surprising for its sun and heat tolerance. The 12" tall by 18" wide,
robust clumps are composed of peachy-orange leaves that brighten as the season
progresses. In late June, the clumps are topped with 22" tall, dark red flower scapes, lined
with tiny, creamy yellow flowers. Heuchera 'Creme Brulee' opens the door for some
really cool color combos in the garden...superb! (Hardiness Zone 4-8a)

Heuchera 'Crimson Curls' PP 13,729 (Crimson Curls Coral Bell) From England's Ray
Brown comes a stunner with incredibly ruffled foliage...even the ruffles are ruffled. The
dark burgundy-red leaves are purple underneath and radiate out to form a perfect 18"
wide evergreen clump. (Hardiness Zone 3-8a)

Heuchera 'Frosted Violet' PP 15,085 (Frosted Violet Coral Bell) From the great breeding
work of Charles Oliver comes a vigorous new coral bell, thanks to the inclusion of our
native Heuchera villosa in the parentage. The attractive, pink-purple foliage with darker
veining adorns the huge 2'+ wide clump. In late spring, the clumps are topped with 30"
flower spikes of small, light pink flowers. This is a real winner...especially for East Coast
gardeners. (Hardiness Zone 4-8a)

Heuchera 'Georgia Peach' PP 19,375 (Georgia Peach Coral Bell) Heuchera 'Georgia
Peach' is the newest coral bell hybrid containing the heat-loving Heuchera villosa. We
were particularly impressed at how well they looked after our 3 weeks above 100 degrees
F. This vigorous Terra Nova introduction makes a 14" tall x 2' wide clump of large
peachy-red leaves, each highlighted by darker red veining. The 14" tall clumps are topped
in late summer with 30" spikes of small white flowers. Although Heuchera villosa
hybrids are much more tolerant to adverse growing conditions, we still recommend a
well-drained soil. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera villosa 'Bressingham Bronze' (Bressingham Bronze Coral Bell) From England's
Blooms of Bressingham, comes Heuchera 'Bressingham Bronze' ...a selected seedling
from for exceptional color and vigor. The vivid purple evergreen foliage holds year
round. In early summer the clumps are topped with tiny white flowers. (Hardiness Zone
4-8)

Heuchera 'Montrose Ruby' (Montrose Ruby Coral Bell) This fabulous heuchera seed
strain came from the former Montrose Nursery in Hillsborough NC. Heuchera 'Montrose
Ruby' is a cross between Heuchera 'Palace Purple' and Heuchera Americana 'Dales
Strain', and is the parent of many of the Terra Nova hybrid heuchera. The 18" wide x 15"
tall clumps are adorned with dark purple leaves with a unique silver marbling. (Hardiness
Zone 4-9)

Heuchera 'Obsidian' PP 14,836 (Obsidian Coral Bell) This Terra Nova introduction
boasts glossy black-purple leaves that form a 10" tall by 16" wide clump. In late spring,
the clumps are topped with 2' tall spikes of insignificant whitish flowers...grow this one
for the foliage. (Hardiness Zone 5-7)

Heuchera 'Paris' PP 18,881 (Paris Coral Bell) This Terra Nova introduction makes a
small 9" tall by 15" wide clump of silvery leaves, highlighted with dark green veins. The
clumps are topped from mid-April through early July with 15" tall sturdy spikes of small
rosy-red flowers. This is unquestionably the best flowering coral bell we've ever trialed.
As with all coral bells, we recommend a well-drained garden site as well as dividing them
every 2-3 years. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Petite Pearl Fairy' PP 11,058 (Petite Pearl Fairy Coral Bell) Darn, they are
cute...how cute, you ask...cuter than a two legged baby at a grandmothers convention.
This new series of tiny dwarf coral bells are best "babied" in a rock garden or small,
special, well drained site. The tiny rounded leaves of purple w/silver veins make a perfect
6" wide x 10" clump. In early summer, the clumps are topped with 12" spikes of medium
pink flowers. Plants in the "petite series" have no tolerance of heat and humidity.
(Hardiness Zone 4-7)

Heuchera 'Purple Petticoats' (Purple Petticoats Coral Bell) The solid dark purple leaves
have intensely ruffled edges on a 1' tall x 16" wide clump...simply dramatic! As on most
Heuchera americana hybrids, the flowers are insignificant. (Hardiness Zone 4-9)

Heuchera 'Raspberry Regal' (Raspberry Regal Coral Bell) From Busse Gardens of
Minnesota came this vigorous growing rosette of scalloped light green foliage with silver
markings. From the 1' tall x 18" wide clumps arise giant 36" spikes of large raspberry red
flowers in late spring and early summer that are nothing short of fabulous! Not only is
Heuchera 'Raspberry Regal' great in the garden, but it'll even make a cut flower arranger
out of those of us with no artistic ability! Unfortunately, it is not a good choice for the
southeast US. (Hardiness Zone 3-9)

Heuchera 'Southern Comfort' PP 20,364 (Southern Comfort Coral Bell) Heuchera

'Southern Comfort' is the Terra Nova equivalent to Heuchera 'Caramel'. The vigorous
growing 14" tall by 2' wide evergreen clumps produce an abundance of amber-colored
leaves that emerge peachy-orange. As the night temperatures cool, the entire plant takes
on a coral-orange hue. This is one of those dramatic coral bells all of our visitors notice.
The Heuchera villosa parentage gives amazing vigor, as well as good sun and soil
moisture tolerance. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Tiramisu' PP 20,429 (Tiramisu Coral Bell) Heuchera 'Tiramisu' is another

great Heuchera villosa hybrid from Thierry Delabroye's breeding program. The 1' tall x
18" wide clumps of amber/chartreuse foliage begin showing red veins as the night
temperatures begin to cool in fall. When the 1' tall by 18" wide evergreen clumps begin to
expand in early spring, the leaf veins become so bright with red, the leaves appear to be
red with a golden border. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera 'Velvet Knight' (Velvet Knight Coral Bell) The foliage on this Dan Heims
selection is dark purple with red veining, giving the appearance of crushed velvet
overlay...I don't know how he did it! Heuchera 'Velvet Knight' is striking near blue-
foliaged hostas. When established, the 1' tall x 18" wide clump will have 7" wide leaves!
(Hardiness Zone 4-9)

Heuchera villosa (Hairy Coral Bell) This NC native coral bell is a giant compared with
many of the others. In addition to its size, 2' by 2', Heuchera villosa offers incredible soft
fuzzy leaves with a velvety texture...the kind you just have to squeeze. In late summer,
this gorgeous native produces stalks of tiny creamy white flowers from September thru
October...truly an overlooked wonderful native! (Hardiness Zone 4-9)

Heuchera villosa 'Bronze Wave' (Bronze Wave Hairy Coral Bell) This 2001 Primrose
Path introduction is a superb selection of the US native (New York south to Alabama),
Heuchera villosa f. purpurea. Each massive 18" tall by 2' wide clump is composed of very
hairy, large, 8" wide, dark bronze leaves with a contrasting purple back. In late summer,
the 2' tall flower spikes are laden with small whitish-pink flowers. This is not a seed
strain, as has been the case in the past with most purple leaf forms of Heuchera villosa.
(Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Heuchera villosa var. arkansana (Arkansas Hairy Coral Bell) This rare Arkansas endemic
is a form of the more widespread native Heuchera villosa var. villosa, which ranges from
New York to the Mississippi River. This form of the durable, evergreen Heuchera villosa
is not only tolerant of heat and humidity, but is purportedly much more hairy than
normal...come to think of it, so are many of the people I know from the same region. This
variety is only native to a narrow section of the Ozarks, where it can be spotted in rocky
woods or hanging from sandstone cliffs. Our offerings are seed grown from a Newton
County population. The large, hairy green, maple-shaped leaves form a large 18" tall x 2'
wide clump. From August until fall, the clumps are topped with airy 3' tall stalks of small
white flowers. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella Cultivars

xHeucherella 'Alabama Sunrise' PP 19,611 (Alabama Sunrise Foamy Bells) xHeucherella

'Alabama Sunrise' is the first foamy bells (heuchera x tiarella) with Heuchera villosa
parentage, giving it a huge boost in humid summer climates. The 1' tall by 20" wide
clumps are composed of maple-shaped leaves highlighted by dramatic red central veins.
As the plant awakens from the winter, it bursts forward with brilliant golden foliage, also
highlighted with dramatic red veining. As the weather warms, the new leaves emerge
chartreuse and fade to green, surrounded by a band of silver and highlighted by red veins.
The clumps are topped with 2' tall stalks of small white flowers in early June (NC).
(Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella alba 'Pink Frost' (Pink Frost Foamy Bells) xHeucherella 'Pink Frost' from
Charles and Martha Oliver has apple green foliage that is overlain with silver between the
veins. The tiny flowers resembling those of coral bells are a uniquely bicolored pink and
white! (Hardiness Zone 3-8)

xHeucherella alba 'Rosalie' (Rosalie Foamy Bells) From Canada, comes this cross of
Heuchera x brizoides x Tiarella wherryi. xHeucherella 'Rosalie' has typical green,
heuchera-like foliage with heavy red veining toward the center of the leaf. Beginning in
spring, the 1' tall x 1' wide clumps are topped with spikes of soft pink flowers. (Hardiness
Zone 4-9)

xHeucherella alba 'White Blush' (White Blush Foamy Bells) Here is another bi-generic
hybrid between heuchera and tiarella from the Olivers. The flowers of xHeucherella
'White Blush' are white with an occasional touch of pale pink. The foliage is apple green
with a heavy overlay of silver between the veins. (Hardiness Zone 3-8)

xHeucherella 'Birthday Cake' PP 16,158 (Birthday Cake Foamy Bells) This unique
selection of the bigeneric hybrid (now constitutionally legal in Massachusetts) makes a
vigorous 8" mound of deeply lobed, chocolate brown foliage, topped in late spring with a
stunning display of creamy white flowers on spikes that extend 6" above the
foliage...quite a sight! (Hardiness Zone 4-8a)

xHeucherella 'Burnished Bronze' PP 12,159 (Burnished Bronze Foamy Bells)

xHeucherella 'Burnished Bronze' has large lacy leaves of dark chocolate bronze. The 18"
stalks of tiny beige flowers top the 1' tall x 1' wide clump in mid-spring...great when used
in mass in the woodland garden! (Hardiness Zone 4-8a)

xHeucherella 'Crimson Clouds' (Crimson Clouds Foamy Bells) This vigorous Heims
hybrid is very fuzzy...but then, so is Heims. It is known, however, for its dazzling spikes
of crimson flowers in late spring. The foliage is green with very light silver veining. A
mass of these in flower in the woodland garden is an unbelievable sight! (Hardiness Zone
4-8)

xHeucherella 'Dayglow Pink' PP 12,164 (Dayglow Pink Foamy Bells) This foamy bells
hybrid is a breakthrough combining the fabulous color of Heuchera sanguinea (pink) with
the form and flowering of tiarella. This splendid 8" tall clump is composed of tiarella-like
green leaves, each with a dark purple-veined center pattern. Atop the clump in late spring
are dozens of dark rosy pink flower spires. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella 'Golden Zebra' PPAF (Golden Zebra Foamy Bells) xHeucherella 'Golden
Zebra' is the latest in a line of cool foamy bells from the breeders at Terra Nova.
xHeucherella 'Golden Zebra' makes a 10" tall by 15" wide clump of bright gold, deeply
lobed foliage with a prominent black pattern in the middle of each leaf. The evergreen
clumps are topped with 18" tall bottlebrush-like spikes of tiny white flowers in spring.
(Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella 'Heart of Darkness' PP 14,489 (Heart of Darkness Foamy Bells) This

Charles Oliver hybrid of heuchera x tiarella has produced one of the best hybrids that we
have seen. The green leaves are overlaid first with silver, and then with a wide black
pattern that follows the leaf veins. In late spring, the 1' tall clumps are topped with
dramatic 18" tall branched spikes of pure white flowers...a great addition to the well-
drained woodland garden. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella 'Kimono' PP 12,154 (Kimono Foamy Bells) When I visited the Terra Nova
breeding facility, seeing this plant was the highlight of my trip. Certainly the most
stunning of the heuchera x tiarella hybrids, xHeucherella 'Kimono' makes a spectacular
20" tall by 3' wide clump with giant 7-9" long pointed green leaves, each adorned with a
wide black stripe down the center. Resembling a tiarella on steroids, the plants are topped
in April and early May with white tiarella-like bottlebrush flowers. (Hardiness Zone 4-
8a)

xHeucherella 'Party Time' PP 16,181 (Party Time Foamy Bells) xHeucherella 'Party
Time' makes a 1' wide clump of deeply lobed green leaves, each with brown-black
veining and a silvery overlay. In late spring, the 9" tall clumps are topped with showy,
18" spikes of pink and white flowers...a real show. (Hardiness Zone 4-8a) xHeucherella
'Quicksilver' PP 11,081 (Quicksilver Foamy Bells) This introduction from the Olivers
captured a blue ribbon in the 1997 Royal Horticulture Society Exposition in Holland,
xHeucherella 'Quicksilver' has typical heuchera-shaped leaves of metallic silver,
highlighted by a darker bronze veining. Above the 1' tall foliage in May, are clouds of
large pink flowers that fade to white...superb for a mass planting in the woodland garden.
(Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella 'Silver Streak' (Silver Streak Foamy Bells) This hybrid from Dan Heims is
truly one of the most distinctive members of this group of foamy bells. In shape, the
leaves resemble a very cut leaf tiarella...in color, a heuchera. The leaves are light
lavender and are highlighted by deep maroon veins. In late April through June, the 1' tall
clumps are topped with tiny sprays of pink flowers held 6" above the foliage...great for a
mass planting in the woodland garden. (Hardiness Zone 4-9)

xHeucherella 'Snow White' (Snow White Foamy Bells) From the garden of the Olivers,
comes the first pure white-flowered x heucherella. The compact 18" tall mound of
heuchera-like green leaves with a nice silver overlay between the veins, gives rise to
sprays of tiny white flowers. (Hardiness Zone 5-9)

xHeucherella 'Stoplight' PP 16,835 (Stoplight Foamy Bells xHeucherella 'Stoplight' is

similar to xHeucherella 'Sunspot' but is slightly more vigorous and has a larger patch of
red in the center of the bright yellow leaf. The 6" tall x 1' wide evergreen clumps, which
are brightest in the spring, are topped in late spring with bottlebrush-like spikes of white
flowers. (Hardiness Zone 4-8a)

xHeucherella 'Sunspot' PP 14,825 (Sunspot Foamy Bells) This amazing Terra Nova
introduction makes an 8" tall x 18" wide clump of golden foliage highlighted by a heart-
stopping central pattern of red veins. In late spring, the brilliant golden clump is topped
with red stems supporting the fluorescent pink flower spikes. (Hardiness Zone 5-8a)

xHeucherella 'Tapestry' PP 21,150 (Tapestry Foamy Bells) The deeply-lobed tricolor

leaves are olive green toward the edge, silver in the center, and dark purple along the
veins which radiate out into the silver portion. As the weather cools in fall and early
spring, the purple veins intensify and expand to cover more of the leaf surface. The
leaves compose the 7" tall by 16" wide clump, topped with 12" stalks of tiny, light pink
flowers in early June (NC). (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

xHeucherella 'Viking Ship' PP 12,029 (Viking Ship Foamy Bells) The silvery leaves are
highlighted by a network of olive-green veins. In cool weather the leaves act really
bizarre as the midsection of the leaf disappears...leaving the leaf tip connected to the base
by a sturdy thread (you've got to see this!) The 1' wide clump is topped in mid-spring
with stunning flower stalks of tiny, medium-pink five-petalled flowers. Between each of
the petals is an additional smaller pale-pink petal giving the plant a unique two-toned
appearance. (Hardiness Zone 5-9)

Conclusion

Heuchera and xHeucherella are alluring hardy perennial plants for any garden. Their
exotic foliage will fascinate you and their dainty flowers will delight you. Plant them in
your garden, then sit back, and enjoy the show. You may be asking yourself, "What is the
best heuchera, x heucherella, and tiarella for me?" In North Carolina, your best bet is to
select a garden hybrid that has been bred for heat tolerance. Whichever one of these
native charmers that you choose, you will get a winner.

References

Bloom, A., (1992), Classic Coralbells, Horticulture Magazine, May issue, Pp.66-69.

Cox, J. (2002), 'Bridget Bloom' Foamy Bells, in Perennial Allstars: The 150 Best
Perennials for Great-Looking Touble-Free Gardens, Rodale Books, Pg. 172.

Han, S. S., (1998), Postharvest handling of cut Heuchera sanguinea Engelm. Flowers :
Effects of sucrose and silver thiosulfate, ASHS Southern Region Annual Meeting, 33(4),
pp. 590-606

Hawke, R. G., (2003), Plant Evaluation Notes: An Evaluation Study of Coral Bells,
Chicago Botanic Garden.

Heims, D. (1999), Heuchera Heyday, American Nurseryman, March 1 issue, Pp. 30-34.

Oliver, C., and Oliver, M. (2006), Heuchera, Tiarella, and Heucherella: A gardeners
guide, B T Batsford Press.

Pilon, P. (2002), Heuchera 'Fireworks' Coral Bells, Greenhouse Product News, 12(9),
http://www.gpnmag.com/Heuchera-Fireworks-Coral-Bells-article3312

Rice, G., (2009), Mining the potential of Shade-loving Natives, The American Gardener,
March/April issue, Pp. 24-28.