Heuchera villosa Mega Caramel

The Heuchera 'Mega Caramel' is an oversized version of its famous little sister, the 'Caramel' heuchera. This new phenomenal French creation is yet another surprising descendant of the Heuchera villosa, which definitely has not had its last word. It stands out for its vigour, which will allow it to form a wide ground cover of 1m (3ft), composed of sizeable leaves displaying the same combination of warm and soft colors. In the heart of summer, it is adorned with arched stems carrying a cloudy white-cream flowering. This heuchera is greedy and requires fertile soil, but tolerates heat and drought fairly well, although it prefers partial shade.

The 'Mega Caramel' Heuchera belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. It is a hybrid of the Heuchera villosa, native to the mountains of the eastern United States, recently obtained in France by Thierry and Sandrine Delabroye. It will reach a height of 50 cm (20in) (for the foliage) and a width of 90 cm (35in) to 1m (3ft) in 4 to 5 years. This Heuchera forms a large, sprawling clump. Its evergreen foliage is its major asset: its rounded, lobed leaves can reach a diameter of about twenty centimetres. Their colour resembles terracotta, with lighter shades depending on the leaves' age. The undersides of the foliage are beautifully colored in pinkish-violet. The leaves of this Heuchera are strongly veined. The light and airy flowering begins in July and continues until September. The flowers, small bell-shaped buds that open white-cream and then become white, are arranged along an erect and arched stem. This plant has a shallow root system.

The 'Mega Caramel' Heuchera deserves a prominent place in the garden. It can be planted in the ground in a flower bed, in a shady rockery that is not too dry, or even in a large pot. For example, associate it with a Stipa arundinacea; the combination of ochre yellow and chartreuse green will be both modern and unique. In the company of the giant Hosta 'Empress Wu', it will stand out against a beautiful bluish background. Grasses and ferns will give it a wild and romantic touch. It also makes a good companion for bushes and roses when planted in wooded areas. In a rockery, place a light mulch at its base to contrast with its beautiful foliage. Finally, it is an ideal ground cover with remarkable colors. Associate this Heuchera with the 'XXL' cultivar or with blue flowers such as forget-me-nots, corydalis, or lungworts. It is also good for cutting, as its delicate bell-shaped flowers bring lightness to bouquets.

The heucheras with trembling stems and tiny bells were very fashionable in the 19th century in all European gardens. They were named 'Desespoir du peintre' (Painter's Despair), probably because the Impressionist painters tried in vain to represent them.