Heucheras: planting, cultivation and maintenance

Botany

The heucheras are perennial plants that originate from North America, where they are mainly found in mountainous regions. There are no fewer than 55 species and hundreds of varieties. Their very airy flowering, with a multitude of tiny flowers, has earned them the nickname “Painter’s Despair”.

The heuchera is named after the German physician and botanist Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677-1747). Very fashionable in the 19^th century, it then fell into obscurity, only to be rediscovered in the 1980s with the emergence of varieties with purple foliage. This was followed by a multitude of hybridizations that gave rise to the most varied shades.

It belongs to the family of Saxifragaceae. This family includes nearly 600 species of herbaceous plants, including Astilbes, Bergenias, and of course Saxifrages. Heucheras are very close to Tiarella, with which they hybridize to produce Heucherella. They are also cousins of Tellima and Tolmiea, two ground-cover perennials appreciated for their foliage.

The diversity of heuchera foliage!

The heuchera is a rather low plant: it will find its place at the front of borders. It generally measures 40 to 50 cm in height, and up to 80 cm when flowering. It grows in clumps or takes a spreading habit, which allows it to be used as a ground cover. It forms rhizomes, on which new clumps develop around the original plant. It is easy to multiply by taking these clumps!

The leaves of heucheras have incredibly diverse colours! They can take on red or orange shades, reminiscent of the fiery foliage of autumn, such as Heuchera ‘Marmelade’. They can also evoke the freshness of young spring shoots, with a soft green, bright: this is the case with Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’, with almost fluorescent green leaves! They can take on very dark shades, like Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ with almost black foliage, or very bright colours, orange like Heuchera ‘Tiramisu’ or golden yellow like Heuchera ‘Citronelle’. They can also be purple, coppery, or have silver reflections. Everything seems possible in terms of colours!

The leaves of heucheras have soft shapes, with rather rounded edges. The leaf edges are sometimes undulated, giving them a crumpled appearance and allowing one to observe both sides of the leaves, often in different colours. In some varieties, they are bicoloured or marked with a border on the outer edge, like Heuchera ‘Beauty Color’. The veins, often very pronounced, sometimes create a contrast and give a superb marbled appearance!

Their foliage can take on different shades depending on the exposure. Generally, a single variety will have a slightly different colour depending on whether it is planted in sun or shade! The colours also change with the seasons, as seen in Heuchera ‘Peach Flambé’, whose leaves are peach-coloured in spring, then take on red shades, becoming purple in winter.

The inflorescence of heucheras

Heucheras flower in summer, between May and July, sometimes until August. Generally, they are now more cultivated for their foliage than for their flowering! The heucherella, resulting from the cross-breeding between heucheras and tiarellas, have more significant flowerings, with upright spikes of white or pink. However, Heuchera sanguinea ‘Leuchtkäfer’ offers a charming scarlet flowering!

The inflorescences of heucheras consist of a multitude of small bells arranged on an upright stem. This gives them a very airy and vaporous appearance. They are often cream-white in colour, but can also be pink or red. This is the case with Heuchera ‘Pluie de Feu’, which is particularly appreciated for its flamboyant flowering!

The heuchera is a good melliferous plant, its flowers are visited by bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and hummingbird moths. They can also be used in the composition of bouquets.

The fruit of the heuchera has little ornamental interest. It consists of small capsules ending in fine points, containing many tiny brown seeds.

Botanical species

• Heuchera americana

Native to the eastern United States and Canada, this species has evergreen foliage, green with silver reflections. It has given rise to many varieties. It is sensitive to heat and drought, so plant it in the shade!

• Heuchera sanguinea

This species is remarkable for its splendid bright red flowering, which lasts a long time! Its leaves, green and rounded, are more ordinary. It does not like humidity but tolerates full sun and calcareous soils.

• Heuchera micrantha

It is native to the west coast of the United States, where it grows on cliffs and rocky slopes. Its green leaves can take on reddish or purple shades. It is the one that has given rise to the purple varieties and dark foliage! It tolerates wet soils well.

The main varieties of heucheras

The most popular varieties:

Other varieties to discover:

Heuchera villosa Caramel

Very popular, this is our star variety! It has evergreen leaves, orange-brown in colour, which take on more or less pronounced shades. They are purple on their underside. It will bring a soft and bright hue to your borders. It offers white flowering.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Hesperis matronalis var. albiflora Alba Plena

This variety was the first to have purple foliage! Its leaves, palmately shaped with acute angles, remind us of those of maples. Their very dark shade, leaning towards black, beautifully highlights the cream-white flowers!

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Berry Smoothie

This variety will charm you with its vibrant colours! It has evergreen leaves, pink leaning towards purple. It has a spreading habit: use it as ground cover! It offers small white flowers in May and June, which can be included in a bouquet. It withstands heat well.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 45 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Green Spice

This heuchera offers remarkably contrasting foliage! It is green-silver grey, with strongly marked purple veins, creating a superb effect. It takes on beautiful orange hues in autumn and has a subtle pinkish-white flowering. Plant it in the shade!

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 40 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Georgia Plum

This vigorous variety has purple-pink leaves, with slight silver reflections and plum-coloured veins. Their shade evolves with the seasons! It offers delicate pale pink flowering. It is resistant to heat, drought, and humidity. It is derived from the ‘Georgia Peach’ variety but is more compact than it.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 30 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera micrantha Marmalade

This heuchera has a lovely flamboyant foliage, in yellow-orange-red tones! These amber-coloured leaves are wavy on the edges, which highlights their pinkish-red underside. It is a robust variety that tolerates both sun and shade. It is larger than most species.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Obsidian

This is a heuchera with very dark foliage, almost black! Vigorous, it adapts to various growing conditions. Even placed in the sun, and even in the middle of winter, it retains all the intensity of its black colour.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 30 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Prince of Silver

This is a variety with lovely silver-purple foliage, veined with darker, very marked veins. It bears cream-white flowering. Place it alongside plants with soft and cool shades!

• Flowering time June to August
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Heucherella Solar Eclipse

This variety is remarkable for the striking contrast between the edge of its leaves, light green, and the centre, very dark purple. It is a Heucherella: it results from the cross-breeding between a Heuchera and a Tiarella, a perennial appreciated for its decorative foliage and its light, pinkish-white flowering.

• Flowering time June, July
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera sanguinea 'Leuchtkäfer'

This variety stands out for its bright red flowering! It blooms abundantly during summer, in a multitude of bright red panicles. Its evergreen leaves are more ordinary: they are green marbled with cream-white. It tolerates calcareous soils and direct sunlight.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Georgia Peach

This lovely variety, with large peach-coloured leaves, will bring dynamism to your borders! It withstands heat and humidity well. It will make a superb effect if you place it at the front of a border or in a planter.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Heucherella Honey Rose

This variety has lovely foliage that changes colour with the seasons. We particularly appreciate the shape of its leaves, crenate and elegant, and their colour: initially purple-pink, they take on a honey hue in summer.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Chocolate Ruffle

This is a vigorous variety, with very dark chocolate-coloured foliage. Its leaves are wavy on the edges, giving them a crumpled appearance and revealing their purple underside. Its flowering is white and subtle. It withstands full sun!

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 30 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera hybrida Little Cuties Sweet Tart

This compact variety has sparkling and bright colours! It is perfect for enlivening a border and attracting the eye! It offers pink flowering and light green-yellow foliage with rounded edges. Plant it in partial shade in cool soil.

• Flowering time June to November
• Height at maturity 25 cm

See the product sheet

Heuchera Plum Royale

The heuchera 'Plum Royale' is a variety with purple-violet foliage tinged with silver reflections. It is a somewhat surprising shade, at least uncommon, but very intense! This deep colour will enhance the brighter shades of other plants. Its white flowering offers a beautiful contrast with the foliage.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Planting heucheras

Where to plant?

You can plant your heucheras in the ground or in pots. They thrive in rich, humus-bearing, cool and well-drained soils. Avoid heavy or clayey soils, or create drainage by adding gravel or clay pebbles. Plant them in soil that does not dry out too much during the summer. They are not very sensitive to soil pH.

Place them in shade or partial shade, sheltered from excessive heat and direct sunlight… especially if you choose varieties with light foliage, such as Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’! The sun could scorch their leaves. Purple or dark varieties tolerate it much better. This is the case for Heuchera ‘Obsidian’. Varieties descending from Heuchera villosa (like Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’) are quite robust and withstand heat and drought well. Those derived from Heuchera sanguinea, such as the variety ‘Leuchtkäfer’, dislike humidity but cope well with calcareous soils and full sun!

When to plant?

You can plant heucheras in autumn or in spring.

How to plant?

Planting heucheras is quite simple. By following a few points, you can easily establish them in your garden:

• Choose a suitable location, in light soil and partial shade
• If your soil is heavy, add leaf compost or pumice to lighten it
• You can also add compost to enrich the soil
• Do not hesitate to bury the basal stem during planting.

Planting in the ground:

Maintain at least 40 centimetres of distance between two plants.

Moisten the root ball by placing it in a basin filled with water to facilitate the plant’s recovery. Dig a planting hole about twice the size of the root ball. Your soil must be well-drained as heucheras do not appreciate stagnant moisture! If it is clayey, place a layer of gravel or pumice. Add a few handfuls of compost to enrich the soil. Position the root ball and replace the soil, burying the basal stem (where there are no leaves). Gently firm the soil and water. We recommend adding a layer of mulch around the plant to keep the soil cool.

Planting in pots:

Heucheras are perfect for pot or container cultivation! Choose a container that is wide and deep enough. Start by placing the root ball in a basin filled with water for a few minutes. Drain the bottom of the pot with gravel, clay pebbles, or broken pot pieces. Add the substrate (compost mixed with a bit of sand) and place the plant, slightly burying the base of the stem. Add more substrate around the edges to balance the soil level. Gently firm the soil, water, and then place the pot in partial shade, sheltered from direct sunlight. When composing a wide pot arrangement, we suggest positioning your heucheras near the edge for a more beautiful effect… their leaves can then spill over the outside of the pot!

→ Learn more with our advice sheet: Growing a Heuchera in a pot

Heuchera Marmalade in a pot

Maintenance

Heucheras are quite resistant to diseases and pests. When grown in pots, they are sometimes attacked by the Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus). Its larvae feed on the roots, while the adults target the leaves. Unfortunately, their presence is not easy to detect. Inspect the leaves, as the adults nibble at the edges! To get rid of them, use nematodes that will eliminate the larvae present in the soil. As a preventive measure, we recommend applying a mulch at the base of your heucheras, making it more difficult for adult weevils to lay their eggs in the soil. Remove affected plants, and if you are growing them in pots, change the substrate. If they are planted in open ground, birds will eat the larvae. So there is no need to worry!

Heucheras prefer cool soils: place a layer of mulch at their base to prevent the soil from drying out! By maintaining a cool soil for heucheras grown in the sun, you will limit the risk of leaf scorch. Additionally, mulching will enhance the colours of their foliage! Water the heucheras during the summer, at least in case of prolonged drought.

Heucheras enjoy rich soils: add a few handfuls of compost at their base in spring or autumn. At the end of winter, in March-April, cut back the old dried leaves. In summer, regularly remove faded flowers. Heucheras are hardy and do not require winter protection.

A few years after planting, heucheras may become exhausted, look less attractive, and have slowed growth. They develop a woody stem and the base of the clump becomes bare. We therefore recommend renewing them every three to five years in autumn. Dig them up and replant the younger ones, positioning the collar (the base of the leaves) just at soil level. Firm the soil around the plant and water. Take the opportunity to divide them and make cuttings!

Propagation of Heucheras

Heucheras are easy to propagate by cuttings or by clump division. You can also sow them, but the plants you obtain may not be identical to the parent plant! As heucheras tend to exhaust themselves after a few years, dividing and propagating them regularly (ideally every three years) will allow you to obtain more vigorous young plants!

Clump Division

Divide the largest clumps, preferably in autumn, around October. Heucheras naturally spread by producing running rhizomes, which give rise to new clumps around the main one. To propagate, simply detach these by cutting them with pruning shears, remove any damaged leaves, and replant the best clumps in pots filled with substrate, burying them slightly. Water and place them in a sheltered, bright location to overwinter. In spring, you can plant them in the ground.

Cuttings

Propagate your heucheras in autumn! Start by preparing a pot filled with substrate (ideally, potting soil mixed with heather soil). Choose a plant that has been growing for a few years and has developed a stem. Take a stem by cutting it at the base with a knife, ensuring you keep at least five or six centimetres. Remove the old leaves, leaving only two or three of the young leaves located at the centre of the clump. Replant it by pushing it sufficiently into the substrate. Gently firm the soil around the stem and water. Place the pot in a bright location, but out of direct sunlight.

Continue to water moderately, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. You can plant them in their final location in spring.

Finally, discover our video How to Propagate Heucheras with Olivier:

Association

With their evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, heucheras bring colour to borders almost all year round! You can use them as ground cover at the base of trees and bushes, at the front of borders, in rockery, or even in pots or containers. Plant them in groups of at least three or five young plants and mix the varieties for a very colourful effect!

Varieties with dark foliage have the ability to highlight the brilliance of bright flowers! For example, use Heuchera ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ to reveal the intense orange hue of Tulipa ‘Orange Princess’.

Similarly, play with colours by designing a purple and anise garden! The golden hues of Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ and Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ will highlight the dark purple foliage of Heuchera ‘Velvet Night’ to create a striking contrast! This will result in an original and impressive scene.

As they thrive in partially shaded situations and cool soil, don’t hesitate to plant heucheras at the woodland edge, alongside ferns, hostas, and a few flowers: for example, hardy geraniums or bluebells. You will achieve a very natural style garden!

Let your creativity flow and create charming flower compositions, combining them with small perennials, bulbs, or grasses. The possible combinations are endless!

A purple and anise garden with Heuchera ‘Velvet Night’! Copyright GAP Photos Elke Borkowski

For more inspiration, check out our article: “Heuchera: 7 successful pairing ideas