Heucheras bring beauty to containers and landscape
Don’t judge the heuchera by the plant’s performance in July’s hot summer sun, which is definitely not their friend. They are perfect for the weather right now.
Ever since their big splash as the perennial plant of the year in 1991, gardeners have been planting them in the spring and loving them until summer’s onset. They need to be babies through summer, then coaxed through the winter. I have to say the heuchera literally takes my breath away with its drop-dead dazzling foliage in spring’s full sun. For summer, they prefer shade or filtered light.
Not only do they do well in mixed containers, I like heuchera for the landscape, too, in the cool season.
All heuchera species are native to the United States. Two species, heuchera villosa and heuchera Americana, alone have led to over 80 varieties. Americana is used in breeding many of the new cultivars, which are revolutionizing our native plant.
Like ‘Lava Lamp’ and ‘Carmel,’ the ‘Fire Chief ’ cultivar is stunning in color, like a beautiful burgundy wine.
Heucheras are considered perennials in zones 4 to 9 and tend to be evergreen in warmer climates. They prefer moist, fertile organic-rich soil that drains freely. In the landscape, we promote sun to part sun in the North and part sun to shade in the South.
Heucheras become excellent component plants for sunny cool-season mixed containers, boxes and even in the landscape, as you might do for a floweringkale, cabbage or mustard. They
will look attractive through the end of June, which is long after kale and cabbage have bolted and flowered.
While I treasure the foliage, the plants also produce tall airy flowers in pink, coral, red or white. These spikes of blossoms, however, do bring in hummingbirds. The plants reach 16 to 24 inches tall and should be spaced 15 to 28 inches apart, or as recommended per its variety tag. In addition to ‘Fire Chief,’ ‘Lava Lamp’ and ‘Carmel,’ also look for ‘Amber Waves,’ ‘Crme Brulee,’ ‘Mocha,’ ‘Palace Purple,’ ‘Peach Melba,’ ‘Citrona’ and ‘Black Pearl.’
No matter where you live, there is a season where heuchera will add untold beauty to your containers as well as the landscape.