How to Grow Coral Bells for a Gorgeous Pop of Color in the Shade Garden

Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) is a lovely little plant. While they don’t grow very tall, they produce delightful, brightly-colored flowers. The flowers are magnets for butterflies and bees, but especially certain moth species like the hummingbird moth.

The coral bells plant is useful in many locations of the garden or even as container plants. They perform best in partial shade but can tolerate full sun, although some leaf burn can occur. The scalloped leaves come in many colors and are a stand out feature of the plants since the flowers are short lived and tiny.

Huechera is readily available at many garden centers and establishes quickly, living for years and producing offsets that you can use to expand your collection of shade-loving plants for free. It’s truly a winner for the shade garden. Here’s what you need to know to grow your very own low-light beauties.

Coral Bells Care

Coral bells are native plants to North America. Depending on the variety, their native range extends all the way from New Mexico and Arizona into Canada.

They are evergreen, although old leaves will die to be replaced by new ones. They form clumps up to 18 inches (46 cm) wide, but this little plant rarely achieves 6 inches (15 cm) in height. However, the tall flower stems reach high above this.

The wild form produces red flowers dangling like small bells off their whimsical stems. Modern breeders have produced flower colors in pink, white, and salmon.

The leaf colors available are increasing as new cultivars are released almost each year as well. You can find coral bells with foliage in shades of green, purple, burgundy, silver, orange, and even black.

Their low-growing, mounding habit makes them a suitable addition to a perennial shade garden, the edges of woodlands, or natural gardens. They're also great companions for many types of perennial shade plants.

Soil Requirements

Coral bells are fairly adaptable to many types of soil, except heavy clay. They do prefer slightly acidic sites. Give these plants moist, well-draining soil – preferably enriched with compost or another type of organic matter – for the best growth.

When growing coral bells in containers, they require a good potting mix that has plenty of perlite or vermiculite for aeration. This potting mix from Miracle-Gro is my go-to for robust potted plants.

Container plants lose nutrients in the soil quickly. So it is best to freshen the soil annually in early spring before active growth begins.

Light Requirements

Coral bells are easy to grow in the garden. These plants thrive naturally in wooded areas. So when planting coral bells, you want to mimic these growing conditions by placing them in partial shade or filtered sun.

Heuchera plants need between 4-6 hours of sunlight per day. In full sun locations, they require more water and the leaf edges may crisp up in the hot afternoon sun. The lighter-leaved varieties prefer a shadier location.

Watering

While coral bells can tolerate dry periods once they are established, better leaf color and overall health can be achieved by regular watering. On average, water deeply once per week.

In the summer or in hot climates that will need to be increased to keep the soil evenly moist. Container-grown coral bells will also require more water than plants in the ground.

Newly installed plants should be watered every couple of days as they establish. Consistent moisture is an important part of coral bells care when they are newly planted. To avoid common garden diseases, water at the base of the plant or use a drip irrigation system, like this one from Home Depot that our editors love.

Temperature & Humidity

Coral bells enjoy temperatures of 60-80°F (15-26°C) during the growing season. Once the temperatures drop in fall, the plant goes dormant.

They are hardy in USDA growing zones 3-9, so you don't need to do much to winterize your heuchera plants. A layer of mulch can help protect roots from freezing. In the spring, check for frost heave and replant any heuchera roots that were pushed above the soil surface.

Moderate humidity is best for coral bells, between 50-60%. Most varieties actually prefer drier ambient air. Excess humidity can encourage various foliar fungal diseases.

Fertilizing

Heuchera is considered a light feeder. They prefer slow-release fertilizers with a slightly higher nitrogen number for strong foliage formation. This organic granular fertilizer from Espoma is a good choice. Or instead of purchasing fertilizer, you may also spread a layer of homemade compost or other organic matter around the root zone.

If you apply a foliar feed, make sure to dilute it according to the directions on the package and do not apply fertilizer in the heat of the day. In general, apply slow-release fertilizer in early spring just once.

Potted plants should have a liquid fertilizer applied twice per year. Once in early spring and another feed a month later.

Pruning

Heuchera plants don’t really need pruning. The dead leaves can be pulled off to preserve the plant’s appearance. In addition, you should cut back any old, woody growth in spring.

You can deadhead spent blooms, if desired. Although these plants generally do not rebloom, this will improve its overall appearance. When the flower stalk is brown, simply pull it off of the plant.

Varieties

There are new varieties of coral bells annually it seems. The most commonly cultivated variety is H. sanguinea, which is native to the western U.S. in alpine parts of New Mexico and Arizona. This type of heuchera is quite drought tolerant once established.

Other common varieties include H. americana, which is native to the eastern and central U.S. and all the way up into Canada. It comes from woodland areas and prefers moist, shady parts of the garden.

H. villosa and H. parviflora are also commonly sold as coral bells. All of these varieties are native to North America and are resistant to grazing from both deer and rabbits.

Some unique coral bell cultivars to try include:

• ‘Obsidian’ is a nearly black form of heuchera that's available from Garden Goods Direct.
• ‘Palace Purple’ has deep purple leaves and creamy flowers. You can get this unique coral bell plant from Lowe's.
• ‘Caramel’ is an orange-leaved plant with white flowers. It's very popular and you can buy a Caramel coral bell from Nature Hills Nursery.
• ‘Lime Rickey’ is perfect in the shade with ruffled bright green leaves. If you can't find Lime Rickey at your local nursery, another beautiful citrus-colored option is the 'Champagne' coral bell from Nature Hills Nursery.
• ‘Berry Smoothie’ has rose-colored foliage that deepens in color in the warmth of summer. You can get this stunning red coral bell variety from Nature Hills Nursery as well.

Propagation

Coral bells can be propagated in spring by seed or by cuttings. Seeds, however, require at least a 6-week cold period prior to planting. You can also divide plants in spring or fall.

Division of offsets is the easiest way to propagate coral bells. Dig these up when each new offset plant is half the size of the parent plant. Replant them elsewhere in your garden and care for them like a regular coral bell plant.

Common Problems

Coral bells are usually trouble-free plants. The roots could develop root rot in heavy soil. The primary pests of heuchera are black vine weevils and root weevils. Japanese beetles, mealybugs, and foliar nematodes may also pose a problem.

Downy mildew and powdery mildew, as well as certain leaf spot diseases may occur. Avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent mildew diseases. A fungicide spray, like this one from Bonide, can help combat mildews and leaf spot diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Coral Bell Care Must-Haves