Growing Heuchera Foamflower and Heucherella Ground Cover Plants

Heuchera, the foamflower called Tiarella and their hybrid x Heucherella are perennial ground cover plants that grow in varying degrees of shade. These plants, with few exceptions, grow best in moist well-draining soil.

Heuchera and Tiarella are North American native plants appropriate to use in woodland gardens. The native species will attract hummingbirds and bees to wildflower plantings with their late spring and early summer flowers.

Heuchera With Coral Bell Flowers

The common name for Heuchera is coral bells, named for the panicle flower comprised of many tiny bell-shaped blooms. The panicles hang from flower stalks that rise above the ground cover foliage. The slightly hairy leaves feel rough to the touch and have a cordate form with lobed or serrated margins.

Heuchera plants have been hybridized into many cultivars, primarily for their leaf colors and forms. In 1991, Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ was named Perennial Plant of the Year. Gardeners liked the purple and green coloring on the ivy leaf so much, their enthusiasm exploded interest in breeding the perennial. Heuchera cultivars now run the range from burgundy to almost black to orange as the following selection illustrates:

• H. ‘Beaujolais’ has large dark burgundy leaves with silver overlay and dark gray veining. The flowers are almost pure while.

• H. ‘Blackout’ was developed with uncharacteristically smooth leaves that are shiny black with rounded edges. Dirk Scheys of Belgium bred the Heuchera.

• H. villosa ‘Caramel’ is also a large leafed plant made up of soft orange and yellow coloring.

• H. ‘Kassandra’ has a similar carmel to orange color but in fall turns maroon. The flowers are white.

How to Use Native Heuchera Species

Heuchera species are native to North America. The H. americana and the H. sanguinea are herbaceous perennials that are more successful in shade gardens. H. americana nicknamed American alumroot, works in hardiness zones 4 – 9 making them more appropriate for southern gardens. H. sanguinea thrives in a colder range, zones 3 – 8.

Heuchera richardsonii is also a hardier coral bells, zone 3 – 9, native in the Northern and Western parts of North America. But the 2′ tall plant blooms later, in June and July and has green leaves and flowers. This Heuchera is an excellent idea for gravel gardens where never-water-again perennials are highly valued. Heuchera richardsonii prefers dry to average soils over the moist woodland environment its cousins thrive in.

Heuchera Plant Maintenance

Plant maintenance for Heuchera is easily minimized when first planting them in shady garden. The perennials should be protected from hot afternoon sun so leaf edges do not burn or colors fade. Heucheras can be successfully grown in full sun only in northern gardens but are better in part sun and in part shade for southern gardens.

With the exception of Heuchera species that tolerate dry soils, coral bells require moist well draining soil amended with organic matter. Heuchera needs good air circulation no matter the garden site.

Coral bells is one perennial that should be dug and divided every 3 – 4 years. To negate frost heaving, the crown of the Heuchera should be planted below the soil’s surface.

Native Tiarella Cordifolia in Woodland Gardens

Tiarella cordifolia is a North American native perennial. The woodland garden plant likes cool shady areas where moist well draining soil has a lot of organic leaf compost. Tiarella tolerates a wide range of climates, from zones 3 – 9.

Foamflower, like Heuchera, is known for its leaf colors rather than the short-lived spring flowers. The center blotch of color that runs into the middle veining is an easily identifiable characteristic of the leaves. Tiarella flowers will remind gardeners of the feathery Astilbe and should be deadheaded after flowering. Tiarella species quickly fills in garden space with their runner type stolens rooting system.

While not as popular as Heuchera, so not as hybridized, the Tiarella ‘ Pink Skyrocket’ is one example of foamflower with fluffy racemes. The 1′ wide plant has deeply dissected shiny green leaves, with the center lobe exaggerated, and a center black blotch. The light colored flowers will easily light a woodland setting.

Hybrid Plant x Heucherella

Plant breeders have melded the best characteristics of Heuchera and Tiarella to create a hybrid plant called x Heucherella. x Heucherella has the dramatic color variations found in Heuchera with the plant habit of Tiarella.

Tiarella-type leaves are deeply lobed with central red or maroon markings on the variety of Heuchera-like colors and, although the plant spreads, it is less aggressive than Tiarella cordifolia. The plants are sterile but can be divided or offsets rooted as a gardener would stem cuttings at home.

Examples of the hybridized Heucherella can be seen in x Heucherella ‘Silver Streak’ with its deep purple leaves, silver mottling and white and lavender flowers. The x Heucherella ‘Sunspot’ has bright chartreuse yellow leaves with the characteristic red center star, the flowers have pink blooms.

Woodland Gardens With Perennial Ground Covers

Heuchera and Tiarella are perennial ground covers from the same family, Saxifragaceae. x Heucherella is an intergeneric hybrid genus related to Heuchera and Tiarella. All these plants will light up a woodland garden with their colorful foliage and light colored flowers. Other perennial plants that bloom in spring and grow in shade loving garden environments include Solomon’s seal, forget-me-nots and Trillium.

A shade plant that adds similar colorful foliage to a garden is the annual coleus or the rex begonia houseplant, often grown outside in summer.