Heuchera Favorites

Spring has been teasing us the last couple weeks. When daytime temperatures are in the 40s and 50s and night time temps barely drop below freezing, it is easy to believe the promise of spring. The trees are budding, my oregano has grown to a harvestable size, and the iris and tulips are poking their heads out of the ground. It's tempting to get as ambitious as those trees and perennials, but anyone who's gardened in North Dakota for any length of time is well aware that this is just Mother Nature's idea of a practical joke. We will have temps well below freezing, and chances are pretty good that we will get snow sometime before it is really planting time. So, I am forcing myself to "garden" in my head. I am still planning that new area where I killed the quack grass last year, and its areas of morning sun and afternoon shade lends itself well to Heuchera.

As I mentioned in the last blog article, I already have nearly forty varieties of these lovelies in my yard. While not quite as prolific with new varieties as daylilies, it does seem like Heuchera hybridizers are trying to run a close second to them. Terra Nova Nurseries in Oregon is known for its perennial breeding programs, and they are constantly developing new varieties of Heuchera, with improved colors, stronger constitutions, or just plain something different. There are several newer varieties that should be available in garden centers this year.

Some of the new varieties I am anxious to see are 'Champagne', 'Forever Purple', and 'Red Lightning',  I can already envision a small section of my garden with their pops of coordinating colors!

Heuchera 'Champagne' (internet photo)

'Champagne'  has medium sized leaves that change from peach to gold over time. Maroon stems hold light peach flowers for much of the season and are favorites of hummingbirds. It grows to about 14 inches tall and wide and maintains its color, even in full shade.

Heuchera 'Forever Purple' (Terra Nova Nurseries photo)

'Forever Purple' has deep purple, glossy leaves that stay nicely colored throughout the growing season. Short spikes of light purple flowers appear in early summer and last for weeks. It is a larger Heuchera variety, growing to the fairly standard 12 inches tall, but with a spread of nearly two feet. The flower stalks are held fairly close to the foliage, with a height of only 15 inches. This Heuchera does its best in morning sun with afternoon shade.

For a bicolor leaf, 'Red Lightning' looks like it will be hard to beat. Large gold leaves have deep red veins running through them, with color that maintains well throughout the growing season. Doing its best in part shade, the foliage of 'Red Lightning' grows 11 to 12 inches tall and 16 inches across with flower spikes extending to about 18 inches.

Huechera 'Red Lightning' (Terra Nova Nurseries photo)

New introductions are sometimes quite pricey, and because they are "untried" I am sometimes a bit shy about buying them right out of the chute. It really hurts to lose a $20 or $25 plant to winter kill, so there are some old favorites that I return to time and time again. These are the ones that I already know will stand up well to our cold (sometimes) winters and hot, humid summers.

Heuchera 'Palace Purple' (internet photo)

'Palace Purple', of course, has been around and proven itself for years. It is a pretty amazing plant, however, it has lost some of its appeal in the face of even more colorful cultivars introduced since Heuchera breeding became popular. It is hard to beat for hardiness, though, so it will always have a place in my garden. 'Palace Purple' has large, star-shaped leaves which range from olive green to a bronzey purple on top and deep purple on the bottom side. It grows in a clump about 12 inches tall with 20 inch stalks of tiny white flowers in early to mid-summer.

Heuchera 'Midnight Rose' (photo from Terra Nova Nurseries)

One that has done well in my Sun, Moon, and Stars Garden, under the maple tree (read difficult growing environment) is 'Midnight Rose'. This is a little smaller Heuchera, growing to only about 10 inches tall, but the pink-spotted dark leaves makes a dramatic statement in the garden. The only downside I have found to this little beauty is that it does not retain its beautiful pink spotted color throughout the entire growing season; instead, the pink spots enlarge to take over more of the leaf and lighten to a creamy color over time. It is still a striking plant and well worth a spot in the garden.

Heuchera 'Galaxy' (Terra Nova Nurseries photo)

'Galaxy' also fits in nicely in this area, At the beginning of the season, 'Galaxy's thick, leathery leaves are a bright red with some lighter, pinkish variegation. Over time, the red darkens and it begins to look like a "beefier" version of 'Midnight Rose', but it gives nice complimentary coloration for a long enough period of time that they work together well in my garden.

Heuchera 'Blackout' (internet photo)

Heuchera 'Obsidian' (Terra Nova Nurseries photo)

For a dark colored Heuchera, I chose 'Blackout' because it is lovely and because the name seemed to fit in well with a Sun, Moon, and Stars theme. While this has been an "ok" Heuchera for me, it is not the replacement for 'Obsidian' that it was touted to be. 'Obsidian' has proven to hold its color a little better and has thrived, where 'Blackout' sometimes looks a little faded and has limped more than thrived. Both offer a nice, deep shout of color to the shady garden,and since different plants thrive in different conditions, if you fall in love with 'Blackout', by all means, give it a try.

There are many, many other Heuchera varieties and most are worth a try. Most garden centers carry a wide variety of Heucheras. For those of you in my area, I know that Plant Perfect has ordered 'Midnight Rose'; 'Obsidian', and 'Forever Purple', along with many other beautiful cultivars that are proven to do well in our area. It's going to be a lovely gardening season!