Heucherella Citrus shock

The Heucherella 'Citrus Shock' is another recent hybrid resulting from the marriage of Heuchera and Tiarella, combining the best of its two parents in a very bright variety. This selection forms a low, evergreen cushion of deeply lobed, acid green leaves, with dark red central veins radiating from the centre of the lamina that eventually becomes invaded by red. Panicles of white flowers appear in spring, carried by slender stems. It is an excellent perennial for shaded and cool areas of the garden, in the undergrowth.

The Heucherella 'Citrus Shock' belongs, like its ancestors Heuchera and Tiarella, to the Saxifragaceae family. It has inherited the qualities of these two plants: the spectacular foliage of the heuchera and the abundant flowering as well as the superior robustness of the tiarella. It is a semi-evergreen to evergreen perennial that grows in a low and compact clump. At maturity, it reaches 35 cm (14in) in all directions. The leaves measure 4 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) in diameter. The first leaves, those that emerge in spring, are narrower. They give way to large, very fresh green, yellowish, rather round and deeply palmate leaves that resemble those of the maple, with strongly marked veins and coloured in brown-purple. During the growing season, the dark red almost invades the entire lamina of the leaves, which intensifies with the arrival of cold weather. The very long-lasting flowers appear in April-May and until early summer, grouped in condensed spikes, carried by thin and hairy stems that are 45 cm (18in) tall. This white flowering in tiny bells gives an impression of foam.

The Heucherella 'Citrus Shock' appreciates wooded environments with a humid atmosphere. It will naturally find its place in moist undergrowth alongside ferns, Impatiens balfouri, Solomon's seals, and astilbes. It is also a good plant for perennial borders or in a rock garden, always in the shade. It can also be used as a waterside plant. It will also thrive very well in sheltered pots or containers away from direct sunlight. It should be planted in a well-drained potting mix without excessive fertiliser, with watering being monitored in summer and reduced in winter. Potted plants will need protection against cold winter winds.