Heuchera, known as coral bells or
coral flower are evergreen and semi-evergreen woodland edge plants
mainly from the Rocky Mountains.
The name belies their main features which
for many types is their colored often variegated foliage which makes
good ground cover. The flowers may be coral colored or any shade through
pink and white to almost yellow depending on the variety.
The foliage is usually low and prostrate
on the ground with flowers borne on tall spikes that give a delightful
"smoky" appearance particularly as their colors are often
shown to good advantage against the often contrasting leaf color.
The flowers are good for cutting and are
attractive to bees.
The plants have woody roots and there is tendency
with time for the roots to push the plants upwards and almost out of the
soil. A mulch helps keep the plants happy, though eventually they
benefit from being lifted and replanted, if this is carried out in the
fall, then the plants can be divided at the same time.
