Looking for a new plant for your shade garden?

Then you need to check out all the amazing varieties of heucheras!

Heuchera foliage has been bred to produce a wide burst of colors, from amber, gold and orange to lime-yellow, red, purple, brown and even black. Heuchera is now 30% off along with all other perennials.

The little stalks of flowers that give the plant its common name of coral bells are still there, but it’s the leaves that are prized.

Although traditional coral bells had only green leaves with tiny pink flowers that bloomed once per season, the new types not only have more colorful leaves, but the leaves of some varieties also change color from spring to fall and the plants bloom on and off all summer.

Not only are heucheras attractive, but they also have become stronger, fuller and more disease-resistant, have few pests and are adaptable to containers.

Uses — In a shade garden, heucheras provide colors that are not possible with hostas. In front of a border planting, they mound nicely to 8-12 inches. Under trees where grass doesn’t grow, they are an alternative “to doing the hosta-doughnut thing,” said Walser, who also is a garden radio show host. They are good for containers, too, since they don’t “bully” the other plants.

Care — Heucheras are an easy, easy plant as long as you don’t overwater. If overwatered, they could rot. That is one of the reasons they need to be planted in well-drained soil, not clay, which holds moisture.

In containers, allow heucheras dry out between waterings.

The leaves do not need to be cut back since new leaves will push out over the old. Then the old leaves will provide a cover for the roots, keeping them moist. (But not too moist!)

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