Heuchera villosa Caramel

If Heuchera Caramel has become a great classic in gardens and terraces, it is not by chance. This exceptional variety is undoubtedly the best in the category of heucheras with golden-amber foliage. Its wonderful evergreen foliage evolves throughout the seasons, changing from golden apricot amber in spring to more orange, pink, and copper tones in autumn.  This symphony of soft and warm colours is also complemented by a lovely rosy-purple underside to the leaves. In the middle of summer, it is adorned with arching stems carrying infinitely light and creamy-white flowers. This heuchera is greedy and requires fertile soil. It tolerates heat and drought fairly well, but not intense sunlight. In the garden, it will form a fantastic and remarkably coloured groundcover in partial shade or even in shade.

Heuchera 'Caramel' belongs to the Saxifrage family. It is a superb descendant of Heuchera villosa, a undemanding and very hardy species native to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. It was obtained a few years ago (before 2008), in France, by Sandrine Delabroye. The plant will reach 30 cm (12in) in height (for the foliage) and 40 cm (16in) in width in 4 to 5 years. This Heuchera forms a beautiful spreading cushion. Its evergreen foliage is the major asset of this plant: its rounded leaves are in a palette of warm and soft colours.  This foliage is very long-lasting and evolves throughout the seasons. Its colour resembles terracotta, amber, and aged gold, with a hint of terracotta washed with pink. Lighter shades are visible, depending on the age of the leaves. Rich orange and copper hues appear with the cold and shorter days. The underside of the foliage is beautifully coloured in pink-violet to purple. The leaves of this Heuchera have strong veins. The light and airy flowers begin in June-July and continue until September. The flowers, in small bell shapes, are white-cream with a rosy hue when they bloom, then becoming almost white, arranged along an erect and arched stem. This plant has a shallow root system.

Heuchera Caramel is an excellent groundcover for shaded areas of the garden, even quite dry areas in summer. Its foliage remains decorative throughout the year and its flowering brings a lot of lightness to any setting. For example, combine it with the blue flowers of forget-me-nots, brunneras, ajugas, columbines, bellflowers, or the lush foliage of hostas, always away from the heat of the sun. Its pairing with foamflowers is always successful. It grows very well in pots, in the company of grasses like Carex testacea and Agropyron magellanicum. In a small shady rockery, it will accompany small ferns like Adiantum pedatum, or the beautiful marbled foliage of Asarum splendens. When planted in groups, it will form an astonishing groundcover along a pathway.