Growing Coral Bells

I keep reading about all these new Heucheras. How hard a plant is this to grow?

Its small size and many cultivars make Heuchera (coral bells) perfect for small and large scale gardens. Most Heucheras prefer partial shade. I find the green leaved forms tolerate full sun and even full shade. You will see fewer or no flowers in heavy shade. Some of the purple and creamy-leafed varieties scorch in the hot afternoon sun. Keep the soil slightly moist for best results, though established plants can tolerate drier soils. Try using a mixture of cultivars to form a tapestry under your favorite shade tree. Or use them in rock gardens, at the edge of perennial beds or in the mixed border. Many varieties have beautiful bell shaped flowers that dance above the foliage in late spring through early summer and sporadically throughout the season. The leaves will persist through even a mild northern winter though watch for frost heaving that can occur when soil alternately freezes and thaws throughout the winter. Just gently tamp or reset any frost heaved plants back in the ground as soon as they are discovered. Give one or two Heucheras a try this season. I bet you will soon be adding even more.

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