Heuchera – Coral bells – Plant Care Tips

Where to buy a Heuchera – Coral bells in Australia?

Why we’re glad you asked as we do our best to have a steady supply of Heuchera – Coral Bells in stock. 

Heuchera – Coral bells Introduction

Heuchera plants also known as coral bells or Alum Roots, they are members of the Saxifragaceae family, and are popular for their attractive foliage in shades of green, red, silver, purple and bronze. Their stems produce clusters of small flowers with bell-shaped petals that come in a variety of colors. Heuchera is also called coral bells because of its colorful blooms, which appear from Summer through early Autumn and bloom continuously throughout the season.

Grown for their foliage, these plants make excellent ground cover plants. Their vibrant leaves will add a splash of color to your garden when most other plants are dormant. Although they are easy to care for, they do require some special attention. Learn how to take care of your Heuchera so it can thrive year after year!

Heuchera – Coral bells Care Tips Introduction

Heucheras are a hardy, year-round favorite for shade gardens. They are tough, adaptable to many soil types and can grow in diverse climates. Most Heuchera varieties are low maintenance and easy to care for. These plants blossom in Summer with flowers similar to those of phlox or evening primrose, depending on the variety. These plants are deer resistant, too! If you live in an area with deer, this is a very important feature that could save your plant from being eaten by hungry herbivores!

Heuchera – Coral bells Lighting & Position

While Heucheras may tolerate a few hours of morning sun in cool Summer areas, but they do best if they can get shade during the hottest part of the day (depending on variety!). Some cultivars of these plants are covered in tiny hairs that usually carry a light frost-protecting resin, so they’re less likely to suffer damage from frosts than some other foliage plants.

The planting site also affects how big your plant will become. If you place it near other plants you will encourage it to grow taller. As a result, your Heuchera will compete with one another, becoming thicker and taller. On the contrary, to reduce the height of the plant, place it away from other plants and it will grow in diameter rather than height.

Creeping Boobialla – Myoporum Parvifolium Watering

Heucheras are very tolerant of drought once established, but do not like to dry out completely. It is best to water them deeply about once a week, or when the soil feels dry about 25mm down. Water pot grown plants regularly but let excess water drain away from the pot, so that air can reach their roots.

Heuchera – Coral bells Humidity

Heucheras thrive best in cool to mild tropical climates. Though some varieties of heuchera will tolerate heat and humidity, they are generally considered cool climate perennials. Our advice is to research which variety of this plant will thrive in the area you live in before buying one!

Heuchera – Coral bells Soil & Fertiliser

Plant Heucheras in moist but well-drained, nutrient-rich soil and watch them thrive. In Spring and Autumn, feed them with a high potash fertiliser, or a specialised heuchera food in order to promote healthy growth and ensure year-round blooming. During the growing phase feed them with an all-purpose fertiliser that is low in nitrogen about every 2 weeks for best results.

We recommend using our Plant Food available here. 

Heuchera – Coral bells Extra Tips

You can trim out any dead or damaged leaves at the base of the stems at any time of year to maintain the clumps, to keep them looking their best. These evergreen plants make a leafy clump every year, but individual leaves will die or get tatty as they age, so cut these out at the root. Some cultivars’ leaves may fall off throughout Winter in colder areas. Try to resist the desire to clean up all the dead leaves until October. They will protect your Heuchera’s crown during the Winter months.

Heuchera – Coral bells Vulnerability to Pests & Diseases

Heuchera is a tough plant known for its long blooming season, however, it does have some enemies which can cause the plant to wilt. Check regularly for vine weevils by gently tugging the stems. If your plant is infested, empty its pot and remove the grubs. Rinse out the compost and replant with fresh soil, adding a layer of gravel to help discourage future infestations. Mealybugs can also get to your plant. You can effectively treat them with neem oil. For more information on how to manage common plant pests head to our blog here! 

Heuchera – Coral bells Toxicity

Fortunately, Heuchera plants are non-toxic and non-poisonous to both people and animals.

How to Propagate your Heuchera

Our expert recommendation is that you propagate your Heuchera through cuttings. This can be done by taking cuttings from your existing plants and rooting them in a pot of soil.

To propagate, you’ll need to follow these easy step:

1. Take a cutting that’s at least 150mm long.

2. Remove the bottom leaves from your cutting so it has just one stem with at least two leaves on it.

3. Place your cutting in a moist soil mix (a 50/50 mix of peat moss and perlite works well).

4. Place your cuttings in indirect sunlight and keep them moist until they root—this may take anywhere from two weeks to six months depending on how warm it is where you live!

They can also be grown from seed, however packeted seeds are difficult to find. If you save seeds from your own plants and use them to grow a new Heuchera, bear in mind that the offspring may look different from the parent.

Heuchera – Coral bells Design Tips

Heuchera pack a colour punch year-round. Unlike many plants that bloom seasonally, this year-round colour gives them a huge design advantage. Heuchera varieties also come in a wide range of colours making them highly versatile. They’re fantastic for cottage gardens or in pot displays. They’re rich colours like deep purples, reds, oranges, yellows can be used against other colours and green foliage to make them pop. If you love vibrant, colourful gardens, planting various Heuchera with different colours can create a rainbow like impression. They can also be used for more formal gardens where they can be mass planted or planted in lines or patterns to whichever design you desire.

Want a Heuchera – Coral bells?