Heuchera Silver Gumdrop

Heuchera 'Silver Gumdrop' is a new heuchera that really stands out from all the others with a unique combination of colours: it combines a silver and iridescent foliage with metallic reflections, with a 'rain of fire' flowering, in a vibrant pink-red, never seen before in silver-leaved varieties. Compact, dense, and vigorous, this perennial eventually forms an adorable cushion that comes to life throughout the summer with exceptionally lightweight flower spikes. Forming a very attractive ground cover, even in the sun, its evergreen foliage with magnificent colours will create highly ornamental pots all year round.

Heuchera 'Silver Gumdrop' belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. It belongs to a series of recent hybrids called Dolce®, selected for their compact habit and astonishing colours. This excellent little garden perennial is a complex horticultural hybrid that possesses the genes of Heuchera villosa, native to the mountains of the eastern United States, as well as those of its cousins, H. micrantha and H. sanguinea. It will reach approximately 25 cm (10 in) in height for the foliage and 50 cm (20 in) in width in 4 to 5 years. This heuchera forms a low and dense mound of leaves. The foliage is the plant's first asset: its rounded leaves, evergreen in winter, begin almost blue. At maturity, they are slightly glossy, with a grey-silver colour with metallic blue reflections, and then they become smoky-pink and purple later in the season. The leaves of this heuchera have strong veins and a reddish-purple underside. The delicate and airy flowering occurs in June-July. The small bell-shaped flowers, almost red when they bloom before becoming deep pink, are arranged along an upright stem of a purplish colour, 45 cm (18 in) tall, which dominates the cushion of leaves. This plant has a shallow root system.

Heuchera 'Silver Gumdrop' is an absolutely delightful plant and deserves a prominent place in the garden, along a sunny path or in a partially shaded and fresh rock garden, not far from a walkway to be able to admire it as often as possible. It also adapts perfectly to container gardening. When planted in a line along a border, this heuchera will add a touch of mystery and poetry to the garden. In shade or partial shade, for example, associate it with hostas, Carex, and painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Red Beauty) for a wild effect. In a sunnier rock garden, place a dark mulch at its feet to contrast with its beautiful foliage and pair it with Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, with its small bright blue flowers and glowing autumn foliage. Finally, it makes an ideal ground cover, with remarkable colours. Associate this heuchera with the 'Creme Brulee' cultivar or with blue or pink flowers such as forget-me-nots, corydalis, or lungworts. Heuchera is perfect for filling your pots, containers, and large shaded planters. As a beautiful cut flower, the delicate bell-shaped flowers of this plant add a lot of lightness to bouquets.