Heuchera – Perennial Plant, How to grow

Heuchera - Perennial Plant, How to grow

How to grow Heuchera

Named in honor of Professor J. H. Heucher, 1677-1747, a German professor of medicine, and a botanist (Saxifragaceae). Alum-root. A genus of hardy perennials with dainty, small, bell-like flowers in loose panicles which are produced over a long period, blooming on and off from spring through to autumn. The leaves are evergreen and the flowers are attractive when cut for indoor use.

  • Species cultivated
  • H. americana, 18 inches, red flowers, summer.
  • H. x brizoides, 1 foot, pink flowers, hybrid. This name includes various hybrids, such as ‘Coral Cloud‘, raised from crossing H. americana with H. sanguine.
  • H. micrantha, 2 feet, pale yellow flowers, summer.
  • H. pubescens, 1 foot, flowers deep pink marked with yellow, summer, foliage mottled with brown.
  • H. sanguinea, coral bells, 12-18 inches, red flowers, summer; vars. include alba, white, atrosanguinea, deep red, grandiflora, larger flowers, coral scarlet; rosea, rose-red; splendens, dark crimson.
  • H. villosa, 1-3 feet, small pink flowers, late summer.
  • Cultivars include ‘Bressingham Blaze’, 2 feet, coral flame; ‘Bressingham Hybrids’ a fine modern strain with flowers from crimson to pink in all shades. ‘Carmen’, 2 feet, intense carmine-pink; ‘Edge Hall’, 2 feet, bright rose ; ‘Oakington Jewel’, 2 feet, deep coral rose, coppery tinge; ‘Pearl Drops’, 2 feet, white; ‘Pluie de Feu’, 1 feet, bright red; ‘Red Spangles’, 20 inches, crimson scarlet, ‘Rhapsody’, 20 inches, glowing pink; ‘Scintillation’, 2 feet, bright pink, tipped carmine; ‘Snowflake’, 2 feet, white; ‘Sparkler’, 2 feet, carmine and scarlet; ‘Splendour’, 2 feet, salmon-scarlet.

Cultivation Heucheras do best in light but rich, well-drained soil or in ordinary soil with peat added in full sun or partial shade. Plants do not thrive in clay. Plant in autumn or spring. Increase by dividing plants from March to May or by sowing seeds in spring under glass protection in a light compost. Seedlings are best grown on in pots for planting out when a year old.


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