Coral bells

Sun

Partial shade is best, especially afternoon shade in hot climates. More sun is tolerated in cool regions if the soil stays moderately moist.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, then when the upper soil dries. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells, but prolonged drought can scorch or thin the foliage.

Soil

Well-drained, humus-rich soil; neutral to slightly acidic soil is suitable. Avoid waterlogged ground, particularly in winter.

Height

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), including flower stems; foliage usually stays below 1 ft (0.3 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Late spring to midsummer, with tiny greenish-white flowers on slender, branching stems.

Foliage

Rounded to heart-shaped, shallowly lobed leaves, usually green with variable silver mottling, darker veins and sometimes purplish undersides. Evergreen in mild climates and semi-evergreen or dormant in colder winters.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Keep the crown at soil level when planting; burying it encourages rot.
• Water at soil level when the upper soil dries, avoiding constantly wet conditions.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; rich soil rarely needs additional fertiliser.
• Mulch around the plant without covering the crown.
• Divide ageing clumps in spring when their centres become woody or lift above the soil.

Pruning. In early spring, remove dead or badly damaged leaves without cutting into the central crown. Cut spent flower stems back to the base unless you want seed.

Early spring

Remove winter-damaged leaves and check for crowns lifted by frost; gently firm lifted plants back into the soil.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, keeping crowns at soil level, and water them in.

Late spring

Apply a thin compost mulch around, but not over, the crowns.

Summer

Water during extended dry weather and watch for leaf scorch in exposed positions.

Late summer

Remove finished flower stems, or leave a few to collect seed.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves that smother the crowns, but retain healthy foliage for winter.

• Edge a partly shaded path with repeated clumps for a low, leafy border.
• Plant beneath deciduous trees alongside ferns and sedges, away from the driest root competition.
• Use at the front of a woodland border, where its rounded leaves contrast with narrow or finely divided foliage.
• Grow in a well-drained container in light shade, pairing it with plants that need similar moisture.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Cottage garden, Native meadow, Wildlife garden, Arts and Crafts and Small-space.

Plant it with: Christmas fern, Foamflower, Woodland phlox, Pennsylvania sedge, Hosta and Brunnera.

Wildlife: The small flowers provide nectar and pollen for small bees and other insects. Deer and rabbits may browse the leaves, although damage varies by location.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage, keep mulch off the crown and replace badly rotted plants.
• Vine weevil larvae, especially in pots: inspect roots when plants wilt or loosen, remove larvae and use an appropriate biological control where available.
• Leaf scorch in hot sun or drought: provide afternoon shade and water deeply during dry spells.
• Frost heaving or exposed woody crowns: firm lifted plants back into the soil in spring, or divide and replant ageing clumps.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No particular part is recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant and eating substantial amounts may cause digestive upset.

• Red coral bells (Heuchera sanguinea)

  Usually has conspicuous coral-red or pink flowers, whereas Heuchera americana has much less showy greenish-white flowers. Garden hybrids can blur this distinction.

• Hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa)

  Typically has larger, softly hairy leaves and leaf stalks, with flowers appearing later, often in late summer.

• Heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

  Has fluffy white flower spikes in spring rather than the loose, branching sprays of tiny bells; many forms also spread by runners.

Heuchera honours the German physician and botanist Johann Heinrich von Heucher, while americana refers to the plant's American origin.

Propagation. Divide healthy clumps in spring, retaining roots and a growing crown on each piece. Sow ripe seed in a protected outdoor pot; seedlings may vary, and seed from named selections will not reliably reproduce the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Heuchera americana

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan and Mississippi.

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