Coral Bells Heuchera Plant Advice Care

Coral Bells Best Advice About The Heuchera Plant

Heuchera is among the most favourite plants used by Australians to decorate their gardens, patios, and indoor spaces. It is a highly resilient shade plant that looks beautiful and is famed for its spectacular decorative leaves throughout the year. Also known as Coral Bells or Alum Root, this type of plant can be successfully grown in pots or directly planted into your garden. Below you will find valuable tips about how I grow and care for this plant, so you can get the most out of what this plant has to offer.

More About Coral Bells

Coral Bells grow as evergreen mounds at a dwarf height and the plants flower spikes carry small bell shaped flowers that bloom in late spring and right through summer. They have low maintenance requirements and numerous colour variations. With so many leaf colours to choose from it’s so easy to find a variety that best compliments your garden or floral arrangements. 

Will Coral Bells grow in a Pot

These plants don’t mind being contained. This means that, with a bit of care, you’ll be successful at growing Heuchera in pots. The plant appreciates soil that drains well, so

• Find an appropriate potting soil that is capable of draining water on its own.
• Check that the pot you’re about to use has drainage holes at the bottom.

A piece of advice would be not to bury the roots of the plant entirely in soil when placing it in the pot. The crown is the short central stem that should be planted above the soil level.

How to Grow Coral Bells in the Ground

If you want to grow Heuchera outside in the open, the best time of the year to plant is early spring when the weather and the ground are warm enough. Just make sure you leave enough room in between the plants, allowing them to develop healthy clumps. Choose the right spot for the Coral Bell plants eg) landscape under shade trees and position them, allowing 30 to 60cm of space from one plant to the other. Larger varieties will need more room compared to shorter varieties.
Heuchera plants can grow between 6 to 18 inches in height and their width can range between 1 and 2 feet.
Again, ensure the crown of the roots is not buried beneath the ground. The crown should be kept dry and remain above the soil surface to prevent the plant from root and crown rot. After planting mulch, the plants to keep the roots cool in summer and warm in winter and to protect the plant from weeds.

How to care for Coral Bells

Heuchera plants are hardy and if you respect a few rules regarding their maintenance, you’ll enjoy vigorous plants all year round.

1. Where Do Coral Bells Grow Best?

Although these plants can withstand drought well, their blooms are most colourful when they have some shade throughout the day. In hot areas, 4 hours of full sun each day is more than enough. It is important to note that cultivars with lighter-coloured leaves require less sun and greater protection from the sun than kinds with darker-coloured leaves, which require more sun. It is important to keep this in mind when deciding where to plant them in your yard.

2. Coral Bells Water Requirements

It is true that Coral Bells can endure times of drought, but only when the plants have been firmly established. During the summer water regularly when there is a lack of rain but don’t allow water to linger around the plant. To minimise sun scorching, water early in the morning or avoid getting the leaves wet when watering. During the winter months, little irrigation is necessary. Wilting of the plant indicates that it needs to be watered.

3. When To fertilise Coral Bells?

Coral Bells are not voracious eaters. This implies that fertilising isn’t necessary on a regular basis. When spring arrives, just add a layer of compost around the plant. Slow-release fertilisers, on the other hand, might be used if the plants are grown in pots. This will keep the plants looking healthy and lush.

4. Can Coral Bells Be Divided?

Plants that have spread out should be divided and transplanted to other locations or containers. Dividing and transplanting Heuchera plants should be done only when they are not in bloom, in early spring or early autumn. You will need to pull out the whole root ball of the plant for this. Offshoots with roots should be removed from the mother plant and planted as a separate plant or in a container. Before you plant the offshots, make sure to remove the woody centre.

5. Why Are My Coral Bells Leaves, Turning Brown?

The major cause of the coral bells plant turning brown is because of a fungal rust disease caused by Puccinia hucherae.
When exposed to too much sunshine, the leaves of Heuchera become brown.
Anthracnose causes brown spots on Heuchera leaves as well.
Over fertilisation also causes browning of the leaves.
Remove and prune old leaves and flowering stalks when needed to help bring on the new growth.