Heuchera 'Purple Petticoats'
     
Tried and True Recommended by 4 Professionals
Common Name: coral bells
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Saxifragaceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Garden Location: Enterprise Rent-A-Car Flower Borders, Ameren Ground Cover Border
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: June to July
Bloom Description: Whitish
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Leaves: Colorful

Culture

Best grown in organically rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Performs well in full sun in the North, but prefers some shade (particularly in the heat of the afternoon) in the South. In the St. Louis area, best foliage color may occur in sunny spots with part afternoon shade. Scorch and general foliage decline usually occur if soils are allowed to dry out. If grown in full sun, consistent moisture is particularly important. Remove stems of faded flowers to encourage additional bloom. Some gardeners prefer to remove flower stems before flowering because flowers are not showy and plants are usually grown for their foliage texture and color. Foliage is essentially evergreen in warm winter climates, but the amount of retained foliage color in cold winter climates such as St. Louis depends in large part upon the severity of the temperatures. In cold winter climates, a winter mulch applied after the ground freezes will help prevent root heaving. Divide clumps in spring every 3-4 years.

Noteworthy Characteristics

This coral bells hybrid cultivar is a clump-forming perennial which features solid dark-purple leaves with frilly edges and conspicuous but non-showy whitish flowers. The rounded, lobed, long-petioled leaves form a basal mound (to 12" tall) which may spread to 24" wide. Tiny, whitish flowers borne in open, airy panicles appear in late spring to early summer on slender, wiry stems rising well above the foliage mound (typically to 24-28" tall).

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Frost heaving of roots may occur when winter temperatures fluctuate widely.

Garden Uses

Mass as a ground cover or group. Rock gardens, borders and open woodland gardens. Effective as an edger along paths or walkways.