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Heuchera - Fantastical Foliage - Page 2

© Marge Talt

Depending on their blood lines, most are hardy from USDA zones 3 or 4 to 9 or 10; certainly to zone 5. Most remain evergreen, although a very hard winter can find them distinctly tatty come spring. Tidy-minded gardeners will want to remove old foliage in early spring, even if it is still presentable. Mine do not seem troubled by any insect pests, but I have read that some find leaf miners a problem. In that event, simply remove the disfigured foliage and new will sprout.

These are excellent plants for the partly or lightly shaded garden. They will survive in deep shade, but never reach their potential. They will also take full sun in northerly climates. I've found a vast difference in lushness of growth between those plants in loose, organic, rich soil and those in casually amended native clay. This is one plant where good soil preparation really pays off. They all want the soil to remain moist but drain well, particularly in winter.

Every three to five years, you will need to lift and divide your clumps, as the crowns grow progressively woodier and growth diminishes. In some soils, they will tend to push themselves out of the ground and need digging and resetting more frequently to keep them flourishing. When you plant, make sure the crown is at the same level as in the pot - you don't want to smother it. Mulch to keep the soil moist and cool and retard weed growth.

Propagation is by seed or division in early spring (preferably) or fall (in warmer climates) and - so I've read - leaf cuttings. Seed should not be covered and germinates in three weeks at 65 to 75 F (18 -23 C) . Pre-chilling may assist germination. Leaf cuttings, taken in late fall, consist of the entire leaf plus a short segment of the petiole (leaf stalk). I haven't tried this method, but it sounds interesting. Of course, the only way to obtain a true plant is by division or cuttings. If you collect seed from your plants or allow them to seed around in the garden, you may come up with something very interesting or you may find mongrels of little merit crowding out your named varieties.

Heuchera 'Plum Pudding'

Notwithstanding the popularity of the forms with showy flowers, it's the cultivars of this member of the Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family) bred for leaf color and pattern with whom I've fallen in love. Since I am a particular nut for red and purple foliage, these new cultivars are so lust making that I want them all. 'Plum Pudding', shown here is typical of the red/purple leafed forms in that the leaves appear different colors in different light and vary a good deal on the plant, depending on their stage of growth.

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