Heuchera sanguinea
Coral bells
Common names: Heuchera
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 5 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- May–Jul
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: Anneli Salo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Description
The Purple Heuchera (Heuchera sanguinea) is a compact perennial with rounded foliage that is often marked in shades of red to bronze, providing color in the garden almost year‑round. From May to July it produces delicate, bell‑shaped flower spikes in red or pink tones that attract bees and bumblebees. The plant forms a low mound about 30 to 40 cm tall, making it ideal for the edge of a lawn, as a ground cover under trees, or in groups in partial shade. Cultivars such as ‘Palace Purple’ or ‘Firefly’ allow the foliage color to be varied from deep purple to bright green.
Care instructions
Purple Heuchera thrives best in partial shade; full afternoon sun will bleach and scorch the leaves. The soil should be humus‑rich, loose, and well‑drained, waterlogging is poorly tolerated and leads to root rot. Water moderately during prolonged dry spells, but never keep the soil constantly wet. Deadhead spent flower spikes close to the ground to maintain a tidy appearance into the fall. Every three to four years, divide older clumps in early spring (around week 14 to 16) to prevent the plant from becoming stunted from the inside.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringMay–Jul
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, well-drained, moist, nutrient-rich
Coral bells like loose, humus-rich soil that holds moisture without staying wet. The plant tolerates waterlogging poorly, and especially in winter the root collar then rots easily. A spot with some compost in the planting hole and a thin mulch layer is enough starting capital for years.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Apr, Jun
One dressing of mature compost in spring usually covers the nutrient demand for the whole season. If you want to be sure, work in some horn shavings shallowly in early June. Coral bells need no more than that; too much fertiliser makes the leaves soft and susceptible.
Overwintering
Coral bells are hardy and need no special protection in the bed. In very cold winters with little snow, a loose layer of leaves over the perennial helps against frost without snow cover. Container plants are best placed against a sheltered house wall, with the pot wrapped in horticultural fleece or hessian.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
The most reliable way is to divide coral bells in spring or early autumn, as soon as the clumps go bare in the centre after 3 to 4 years. Dig up the plant, divide the root ball with a sharp spade into fist-sized pieces and replant them straight away. Sowing also works, but takes longer, and the seedlings do not always show the leaf colour of the parent plant. Keep freshly divided pieces evenly moist until they establish.
For your garden
Grow Coral bells yourself
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