Noteworthy Characteristics
Heuchera, commonly called coral bells or alumroot, is a genus consisting of about 55 species of evergreen to semi-evergreen herbaceous perennials which are all native to North America. Plants grow in a variety of different habitats including woodland areas, Appalachian seeps, prairies, rocky cliffs and alpine slopes. Plants range in size from dwarf alpine plants with flower spikes rising to only 5” tall to much larger woodland plants with flower spikes towering to 36” tall. Species plants are primarily native to the West, particularly in the Rocky Mountains, with a few species extending into northern Mexico. However, some important species are native to woodland areas in the East and Southeast.
The first significant hybrid heucheras were introduced into commerce around 1980. Hybrids are now very common in cultivation. Species plants most frequently used in producing the hybrids of today are H. sanguinea, H. americana, H. micrantha, H. villosa and H. cylindrica. Leaves of hybrid plants are available in an expanded variety of colors including various shades of green, blue-green, violet, purple, maroon, bronze, silver-black, orange-yellow, yellow, or red, but often with a streaked, mottled or marbled variegation which sometimes includes bold contrasting veins. Flowers of hybrid plants are also available in a variety of different colors including various shades of white, pink, coral or red.
Genus name honors Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677-1747), physician, botanist and medicinal plant expert at Wittenberg University, Germany.
Common name of coral bells is in reference to the red bell-shaped flowers produced by Heuchera sanguina. Common name of alumroot is in reference to the medicinal use of some species plants as an astringent to stop bleeding.
‘Silver Lode’ is a clump-forming, hybrid coral bells cultivar. Plant parents are H. ‘Petite Bronze Pearl’ (female/seed parent) and H. ‘Harmonic Convergence’ (male/pollen parent). Upper leaf surfaces are silvery gray-green with darker gray-green veining. Lower leaf surfaces are dark reddish-purple. The rounded, lobed, long-petioled leaves form a basal mound (to 8-12” tall) which may spread to 20” wide after 2 years. 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 30-36” tall. U. S. Plant Patent PP13,339 issued December 10, 2002. It should be noted that H. ‘Silver Lode” and H. ‘Raspberry Ice’ (PP13,340) came from the same breeding program, have identical plant parents, were concurrently submitted to the U. S. Patent Office for patents and were issued consecutively numbered patents on December 10, 2002. Both plants have virtually identical foliage, with the differences being that ‘Silver Lode’ has white flowers, more upright flower panicles and a greater number of flower panicles per plant during the growing season.
Problems
Frost heaving of roots may occur when winter temperatures fluctuate widely. Potential disease problems include powdery mildew, rust, and bacterial leaf spot. Potential insect problems include weevils and foliar nematodes.
Uses
Mass or plant in groups. Rock gardens, borders and open woodland gardens. Effective as an edger along paths or walkways.