Heuchera Dark Magic - Coral Bells

Heuchera or Heuchera Dark Magic is adorned with large textured foliage of a rich almost black purple with brown highlights. A new variety for lovers of dark plants, this dramatic cultivar reveals ruby-red tones. Of tall stature, it maintains beautiful foliage all year round, both in summer and winter. Above this broad cushion of leaves, arched stems rise in late summer, bearing a delicate white cloud-like flowering. This Heuchera is greedy, requiring fertile and moist soil. It tolerates heat fairly well, but not intense sunlight. It should be noted that it maintains beautiful foliage and a lovely habit for several years without needing to be divided. In the garden, it stands out as a border or in a bed, and on the patio, it adorns pots.

Heuchera Dark Magic belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. Although its parentage is unknown, it is probably a presumed descendant of Heuchera americana, a species with highly ornamental foliage native to the central and northern United States. This dark-leaved cultivar is a vigorous hybrid that quickly makes an impression in the garden, as well as in pots. The plant reaches an average height of 60 cm (24in) (foliage) and 50-60 cm (20-24in) wide in 3-4 years. This Heuchera forms an attractive upright clump that maintains a beautiful appearance for several years before needing to be divided for regeneration. Its evergreen foliage is the plant's major asset: its textured leaves are rather upright and rounded, with intensely lobed lamina, slightly dentate along the edges. They present a colour that is all the more remarkable as it is very enduring throughout the seasons and has a shiny appearance. It combines dark purple, almost black, with brown and some red highlights. The flowering of this variety, quite discreet, is light and airy, beginning in July or August and continuing until September. The flowers, small white bells, are arranged along an erect stem.

Heuchera Dark Magic is quite imposing for partially shaded areas of the garden, even slightly dry in summer. Its foliage remains decorative throughout the year, and its flowering brings a sense of lightness to any setting. For example, pair it with the blue blooms of Forget-me-nots, Omphalodes verna, Brunneras, Bugles, Columbines, Bellflowers, or with the lush foliage of Hostas, always away from the sun's heat. It always pairs well with Tiarellas. It grows very well in pots, alongside grasses like Carex testacea and Elymus magellanicum. In a small shady rock garden, it accompanies small ferns like Adiantum pedatum, or the beautiful marbled foliage of Asarum splendens. When planted en masse, it forms an unusual border along an east-facing pathway.