Caramel coral bells

Sun

Partial shade, ideally morning sun and afternoon shade. More sun is possible in cool climates with consistent moisture; strong afternoon sun can scorch the leaves.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Once rooted, water during dry spells when the upper soil starts to dry; avoid constantly wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained, humus-rich soil, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. Improve heavy soil drainage before planting.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m), including flower stems

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Small creamy-white bells on slender stems in early to midsummer; foliage is the main attraction.

Foliage

Evergreen. Rounded, shallowly lobed, softly hairy leaves emerge peach to apricot and mature to warm caramel, with reddish-purple undersides. Colour varies with season and light.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.32 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant with the crown at soil level, not buried beneath soil or mulch.
• Water new plants regularly through their first growing season; water established clumps during prolonged dry weather.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding.
• Mulch around the plant to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the crown.
• Check for frost-heaved roots in late winter and gently firm or replant exposed clumps.
• Divide ageing, woody clumps in spring every three to four years if growth becomes sparse.

Pruning. In early spring, remove dead or badly damaged leaves individually without cutting into the central crown. Cut spent flower stems back to the base after flowering.

Early spring

Remove winter-damaged leaves and check for exposed roots or frost-heaved crowns.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, water thoroughly and apply a light compost dressing.

Late spring

Check container plants for vine weevil damage if foliage wilts despite moist soil.

Summer

Water during dry spells and protect leaves from intense afternoon sun.

After flowering

Remove spent flower stems to keep the foliage display tidy.

Autumn

Clear fallen debris from the crown and make sure drainage remains open before winter.

• Edge partly shaded paths with repeated clumps for a low ribbon of warm foliage.
• Pair with blue-green hostas and ferns for contrasting leaf colours and textures.
• Use in containers with good drainage, combining its amber leaves with purple or silver foliage.
• Plant beneath open-canopied shrubs where filtered light shows the leaf colour without exposing it to harsh sun.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Cottage garden, Modern courtyard, Autumn colour, Small-space and English country.

Plant it with: Hostas, Japanese painted fern, Siberian bugloss, Hellebores, Foamflower and Japanese forest grass.

Wildlife: The small flowers provide nectar and pollen for visiting insects, including bees. Its value to wildlife is modest compared with a mixed planting of locally native flowering plants.

• Vine weevil larvae eat roots, especially in containers: inspect collapsing plants and use suitable beneficial nematodes according to local product instructions.
• Crown and root rot develop in wet soil: improve drainage, keep the crown exposed and remove badly rotted plants.
• Leaf scorch causes dry, bleached or brown patches: provide afternoon shade and water during dry weather.
• Heuchera rust causes leaf spots with rusty pustules beneath: remove affected leaves, improve airflow and avoid wetting foliage when watering.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as poisonous, but it is an ornamental plant rather than a food plant.

• Southern Comfort coral bells (Heuchera 'Southern Comfort')

  Has similar peach-to-amber colouring but generally makes a larger mound with noticeably larger leaves; leaf colour alone is not a reliable distinction.

• Sweet Tea foamy bells (× Heucherella 'Sweet Tea')

  Its orange-brown leaves are more deeply lobed and usually show a conspicuous dark, star-shaped pattern around the veins.

Heuchera honours the German physician and botanist Johann Heinrich von Heucher, while 'Caramel' describes the cultivar's warm leaf colour.

Propagation. Divide healthy clumps in spring, retaining roots and growing shoots on each section. Seedlings will not reliably retain the characteristics of 'Caramel'.

Accepted botanical name

Heuchera

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.