Heuchera is a hardy perennial with beautiful bell-shaped flowers. We give tips for planting, pruning and propagation.
A particularly colorful perennial is the purple bell, which can be planted in beds and pots. The bell-shaped flowers gave the undemanding perennial its name.
Here in Germany, the plants are among the hardy perennials that do not need any additional protection from cold and frost outdoors. With their colorful leaves, the hardy and evergreen purple bells conjure up a colorful spot in the otherwise dreary and sad-looking wintry garden.
Purple Bells - Origin
The purple bells, referred to by botanists as Heuchera, is a genus of plants belonging to the Saxifragaveae family. About 37 species are known. Their natural habitat is in North America, from Canada to Mexico. Many of the species grow and thrive in mountainous regions, near the shores of lakes and flowing water.
The attractive flowering shrubs have a bristle-like growth. Including the flower stalks, purple bells are between 20 and 90 centimeters high. For many years they have been planted by gardeners and plant lovers in European gardens to give beds and planters some color after the summer flowers have bloomed.
Special features of the purple bells
The winter to evergreen perennials are clumpy plants. The lobed leaves of the bushy perennial are long-stemmed and heart-shaped to rounded. The appearance and color varies depending on the species and variety. Leaves come in all colors except blue. Often they shimmer metallic or they are spotted or provided with conspicuous veins. The underside of the leaf is red or purple. The foliage of many cultivars has a characteristic silvery tint, caused by air sacs under the leaf surface between the regular, sometimes red-tinged veins.
The filigree, bell-shaped flowers are in an indescribable abundance on taut, thin stalks, which provide a wonderful play of colors from May to August. They look like onecloud to hover above the compact foliage. The color of the flowers ranges from a delicate green to white to fine pink to a bright shade of red. In this country, the purple bells attract butterflies and bees.
Purple bells - popular varieties
➔ Purple Bells 'White Cloud' (Heuchera sanguinea 'White Cloud')
| Purple bells 'White Cloud' (Heuchera sanguinea 'White Cloud') | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | cushion-like, clump-forming |
| Growth: | 10 - 60 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Flowering: | June - July |
| Location: | Penumbra |
| Floor: | loamy sandy, humic, nutritious |
➔ Purple Bells 'Paris' (Heuchera sanguinea 'Paris')
| Purple Bells 'Paris' (Heuchera sanguinea 'Paris') | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | pillow-like to pillow-forming, clumpy |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Flowering: | June - July |
| Location: | Penumbra |
| Floor: | fresh, well-drained, nutritious, loamy-sandy |
➔ Ruby Bells (Heuchera sanguinea 'Ruby Bells')
| Purple Bells 'Ruby Bells' (Heuchera sanguinea 'Ruby Bells') | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | pillow-like |
| Growth: | 15 - 50 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Flowering: | June - July |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | fresh, permeable, nutritious |
Plant purple bells (Heuchera)
➔ The best location
Purple bells prefer a sunny to partially shaded location and high humidity. In shady areas, the flowers remain smaller. In sunny places, the colorful perennial needs more water. The purple bells feel particularly comfortable under trees, for example.
» Tip: Purple bells can also be planted in tubs. On balconies and terraces, the perennial needs a semi-shady to shady location and a container twice the size of the root ball.
➔ Choosing the right soil for planting
When plantingof the purple bells you should definitely pay attention to a humus-rich, nutrient-rich and permeable soil. It is important that there is no waterlogging in the soil and in the bucket. For this, the bucket should have a drain and a drainage should be installed. This can consist of lava chippings, for example, which ensures good soil drainage. In the bed, pebbles can be worked into the ground so that excess water can drain off easily.
Planting purple bells - step by step
- choose a semi-shady location (depending on the variety)
- Dig up the ground and bring in pebbles
- Insert drainage when planting in tubs
- fill with substrate
- Insert Crimson Bells
- Close the planting hole completely
- cast
Caring for Purple Bells
➔ Water Heuchera properly
Purple bells only need plenty of water to water when they are planted. Later they tend to prefer smaller portions. Water only when the top layer of soil is dry. If the temperatures are not too frosty in winter, the purple bells can be watered in the same way. In high heat and persistent drought, the Heuchera is best watered regularly in the morning and evening.
➔ Fertilize purple bells
When planting the purple bells, some compost is ideal. It is also advisable to fertilize the perennial with it in the spring. At the beginning of the growing season, encourage new shoots with a synthetic multicomponent fertilizer or complete fertilizer. In general, an additional nutrient supply is not necessary for purple bells, as the plants do not have any great demands in the wild.
➔ Cut purple bells
Regular pruning is necessary to ensure the growth and vigor of the Heuchera. Immediately after flowering, the withered flower stalks are removed close to the ground. Before new shoots appear in spring, the purple bells should be cut back by a few centimeters. This achieves a particularly dense and lush growth.
Propagating purple bells
Purple bells can be propagated by division, targeted sowing or cuttings. Ideally, dividing the Heuchera is done right after flowering. For this, the plant is dug up, divided and planted back into the ground. It is important that the roots are not damaged when dividing. Shoots from the mother plant and seeds can be used to propagate the purple bells in spring.
Pests and diseases of purple bells
Waterlogging causes root rot in Heuchera, which can be recognized by stuntedly growing leaves. A pest that often infests the purple bells is the vine weevil. The larvae in particular are dangerous for the plant, as they eat away at the roots and shoots. The nocturnal beetles are easy to collect from the purple bell at dusk.
hibernating purple bells
The hardy purple bells offered in this country can withstand temperatures down to -20° Celsius. Perennials planted in the ground do not need additional winter protection. However, young plants and freshly sown specimens should be covered with fir branches or compost. Purple bells planted in tubs are placed in a sheltered place in winter and additionally wrapped with fleece.