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Heucherella is one of the many herbaceous plants widely used in landscape design. Over more than 100 years of existence of this hybrid, breeders have developed quite a large number of its varieties. The varieties and types of Heucherella with photos and names, described below, are the most famous and can be found more often than others.
Description of Heucherella with photo
Heucherella (lat. Heucherella) does not grow in the wild, since this plant is an artificially bred hybrid. It was obtained as a result of intergeneric crossing of heuchera (lat. Heuchera) and tiarella (lat. Tiarella) in 1912 in France. As a result of further breeding work, many varieties of heucherella were developed, and now this plant is rightfully considered one of the most popular among lovers of ornamental gardening.
The pattern on the leaves of Heucherella gives the plant a special flavor.
The main parameters and characteristics of this plant are summarized in the table:
Parameter | Meaning |
Type | Herbaceous perennial plant. |
General form | Hemispherical compact bush of medium density, up to 0.7 m high and up to 0.5 m wide. |
Escapes | Erect, very flexible, reddish. |
Leaves | Strongly dissected, lobed, reminiscent of maple in shape, of various colors with an internal pattern. The leaf blade is pubescent underneath, the petiole is long and fleecy. |
Root system | Superficial, with highly branched thick roots. |
Flowers | Small, light, of various shades, collected in paniculate inflorescences on bare peduncles. |
Fruit | They do not form, the plant is sterile. |
Varieties and types of heucherella
There are a huge number of Heucherella varieties in the world. Selection work in this direction continues, so new products appear almost every year. Here are the main varieties and types of heucherella (with photos), most often found in landscape design and ornamental gardening.
Solar Eclipse
Heucherella Solar Eclipse (Solar eclipse) with its color really resembles a solar eclipse. The leaves are round, very showy, reddish-brown, edged with a light green stripe. The bush is compact, 0.25-0.3 m high. The flowers are small, white, collected in small loose panicles.
Heucherella Solar Eclipse blooms in early summer
Redstone Falls
Heyherella Redstone Falls is a relatively young variety, it was released only in 2016.The plant is a spreading wide bush about 0.2 m high. The color of the leaves depends on the light intensity. With a large amount of sunlight, the color of the plates is red with darker veins; in weaker light, the foliage becomes orange or yellow with a green tint. The flowers are small, light pink, collected in small panicles.
Heucherella Redstone Falls can grow as a potted species
Hopscotch
Heyherella Hopscotch grows in the form of a rounded bush with a height and width of 0.4-0.45 m. The color of the leaves resembles the pulp of a grapefruit, something between red and orange, the color is denser near the veins. In the heat, the leaf blades become yellowish-green with an olive tint, and in the fall they become red with a bronze tint. In May-June, the plant produces numerous small flowers with white petals.
Hopscotch color changes throughout the season
Sweet Tee
Heyherella Sweet Tea (Sweet Tea) grows as a wide spreading bush about 0.4 m high and 0.6-0.65 m wide. The leaves have a red-orange color with a hint of cinnamon, and in the summer the color is darker and more saturated, in the fall the plates become light. The flowers are white, small, and appear in early summer.
Sweet Tea is a relatively young variety, bred in 2008 in Oregon (USA)
Kimono
Heyherella Kimono (Kimono) is a low, rounded bush with a height and diameter of about 0.3 m. The variety is distinguished by its star-shaped leaves with an elongated central ray. The plate is green with a silvery tint, brownish near the veins. The flowers are pinkish-white and appear in May-June.
Heucherella Kimono leaves have a highly serrated edge.
Sunrise Falls
Heyherella Sunrise Falls forms a low creeping bush about 0.2-0.25 m high and up to 0.7 m in diameter.The leaves are bright yellow, with an ocher pattern along the veins. By autumn the color becomes more saturated, red color becomes predominant. The flowers are white, small, collected in wide loose panicles.
Sunrise Falls blooms in midsummer
Stoplight
Heyherella Stoplight forms a rather low-growing bush, its height is only about 0.15 m, while the diameter can be 0.25-0.3 m. The leaf plate has rounded contours, is colored yellow with a greenish tint. The central part and veins are bright, burgundy. As it grows, the amount and intensity of the red color increases. The flowers are small, white, collected in loose inflorescences - panicles, appearing in early summer.
Heucherella Stoplight is often used as a border plant.
Solar Power
Heyherella Solar Power forms a hemispherical bush of medium density with a height of about 0.3 m and a diameter of 0.4 m. The leaf blades have rounded contours. They are light yellow with red-brown spots along the veins and in the central part; as they grow, the color becomes darker and a green tint appears.
Heucherella Solar Power blooms in mid-May
Buttered Rum
Heucherella Buttered Rum has very bright, expressive leaf colors. Over the course of the season, the color of this variety changes from caramel orange at first to red-pink, and by autumn it becomes a rich burgundy. The flowers are small, white, and begin to appear in the second half of May.
Heyherella Buttered Ram – fall colors
Honey Rose
Heyherella Honey Rose forms a wide hemispherical bush about 0.3 m high. The color of the leaves of this variety is unusual, dark veins on a coral-pinkish background form a complex pattern. Peduncles appear on the plant in late spring.
Numerous Honey Rose flowers with cream-colored petals are collected in lush cone-shaped panicles
Alabama Sunrise
Heucherella Alabama Sunrise (Alabama sunrise) is distinguished by rather large rounded leaves. During the season, their color changes from light green to yellow-orange, while the veins and central part of the plate have a red-brown tint. Bushes with a height and diameter of no more than 0.3 m. The flowers are white and appear in June.
Alabama Sunrise bushes are low and rounded
Tapestry
Heyherella Tapestry has leaf plates of an unusual shape, with 2 distinct lobes. Their coloring is also very specific. The edge of the leaf is green with a bluish tint, then the shade changes to silver. The veins and center are colored violet-blue. Light pink flowers appear in midsummer. Heucherella Tapestry bush is compact, about 0.25 m high, with peduncles up to 0.4 m.
Heyherella Tapestri will appeal to lovers of non-standard colors
Brass Lantern
Heyherella Brass Lantern grows as a low spreading bush about 0.3 m high and 0.5 m in diameter. The foliage of this variety is very bright, has a golden peach color with red veins and a center. In June, the plant produces numerous small flowers, thanks to which the height of the plant increases by almost 1.5 times.
Brass Lanteri inflorescences - small cone-shaped panicles
Gunsmoke
Heyherella Gunsmoke changes leaf color several times during the season. In early spring they are brown; in May the plates turn purple-red. Over time, the leaves acquire an ash-silver tint, which lasts until autumn. After this, the color returns to brown tones with an orange tint.Against the background of a dark bush, the numerous white flowers that appear in May look very decorative.
The height of Heucherella Gunsmoke with peduncles is about 0.35 m
Bridget Bloom
Heucherella variety Bridget Bloom begins to bloom in June. At this time, numerous light coral petals stand out brightly against the background of lush green leaves with brown veins and a dark center. Bush up to 0.3 m high, with peduncles up to 0.45 m.
Bridget Bloom bush is low, compact
Mint Frost
Mint Frost is one of the late-blooming Heucherella varieties. Numerous buds with cream-colored petals begin to appear on this plant only in the last month of summer. The leaves are green, with a dense silver tint, intensifying towards the end of the season. At the same time, by autumn, red tones begin to appear in the color. The bush is low, up to 0.25 m, diameter does not exceed 0.35 m.
The silvery color of Mint Frost leaves resembles frost.
Burnished Bronze
Heyherella Burnished Bronze grows as a spreading bush up to 0.25 m high, while its width can reach up to 0.45 m. The leaves of the plant are colored in various shades of bronze. Numerous paniculate inflorescences with soft pink petals adorn this variety from May to July.
Heucherella Barnished Bronze blooms profusely and for a long time
Yellowstone Falls
Heyherella Yellowstone Falls is a small compact bush about 0.2 m high and twice as wide. The leaf blades are rounded and colored yellow-green. Numerous rounded crimson specks are visible in the central part and along the veins. This variety blooms in early summer.
Heucherella Yellowstone Falls can be used as a ground cover.
Heyherella in landscape design
Due to the abundance of shapes and colors, Heucherella has found wide application both among lovers of decorative gardening and among professional landscape designers. The plant is used to create mixborders and flower beds in which different varieties are combined.
Heucherella goes well with large stones
Heucherella is planted along rocky paths, near the walls of houses and buildings. The bushes look great both in single plantings and in group plantings.
Heucherella looks great in mixed plantings
Due to its small size, heucherella can be used in the garden as a container plant. It will look great in a flowerpot or on a raised platform.
Heucherella can be grown in pots
Here are some Heucherella varieties suitable for use in landscape design:
- Red Rover (Red Rover). A very decorative variety with thin carved leaves of red color with a hint of copper. The veins and middle are burgundy. In hot weather it takes on an olive tint. The height of the bush can reach up to 0.25 m, the width - twice as much.
The Red Rover variety begins to bloom in June
- Fire Frost (Fire Frost). A variety with wide leaves of a yellow-green hue, with burgundy-brown veins. Bush up to 0.35 m in height. The flowers are small, white, and appear in early summer.
Fire Frost bush is round and compact
- Sunspot (Sunspot). The plant forms a rounded bush about 0.25 m high and a rosette diameter of up to 0.4 m. The leaves are round, yellow with a golden tint, the veins and central part are burgundy-brown. Numerous flowers with pink petals decorate the plant throughout the first half of summer.
The pattern in the central part of the leaves of Heucherella Sunspot visually resembles a star with an elongated central ray
- Plum Cascade (Plum Cascade).The plant forms a round, spreading bush about 0.25 cm high and 0.5-0.6 m in diameter. The leaf blades are carved, with a clearly defined, tucked edge, purple in tone with a silver tint. The flowers are light pink and grow almost throughout the summer.
The Plum Cascade variety has a long flowering period
- Cooper Cascade (Cooper Cascade). A very beautiful, bright red bush whose foliage has peach, coral and copper shades. Height is about 0.3 m, diameter is slightly larger. Flowers with white petals appear at the beginning of the first summer month.
Cooper Cascade looks great as a potted plant
Reproduction methods
Heucherella cannot be propagated by seed, since it is an artificial hybrid that does not produce fruit. Therefore, this plant can only be propagated vegetatively, using methods such as rhizome division or cuttings.
To take cuttings from a bush, you need to take young annual shoots that appear in the spring. They are rooted in water with the addition of a root formation stimulator, for example, Kornevin. It may take about 1 month for cuttings to form their own root system. After this, they can be transplanted into a container with a nutrient substrate or into a greenhouse for growing. Usually, rooted cuttings take root well and quickly begin to grow. After several pairs of leaves appear, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent location in open ground.
Each division should have 2-3 growth buds
Dividing the bush is the optimal way to propagate Heucherella. It is recommended to divide an adult bush once every 3-4 years; this will not only increase the decorative value of the plant, but also prevent its aging. This can be done at the end of July or at the beginning of August.Here are the main stages of this procedure:
- The bush is completely dug out of the ground.
- The roots are washed with water from a hose or in a bucket.
- Trim dried stems.
- Using an ax or knife, divide the rhizome into parts so that each section contains several shoots with their own root system.
- The resulting seedlings are planted in a permanent place.
Planting and care
Heucherella is a fairly unpretentious plant and usually does not cause much trouble to the gardener. If you choose the right place for planting it and provide the shrub with at least minimal care, then it will delight you with its decorative appearance every year.
When and how to plant
Most often, heucherella is planted immediately after dividing the rhizome. This procedure is carried out after flowering ends, at the end of summer or early autumn. By this time, seedlings grown from annual cuttings are gaining strength. The landing site is selected taking into account the following requirements:
- Diffuse sunlight or partial shade from larger trees or objects.
- Loose, breathable, fertile soil.
- Neutral or slightly alkaline soil reaction.
- Good drainage of flower beds or beds.
- The occurrence of groundwater is far from the surface.
- The area should not be swampy or floodable.
Transplantation is carried out together with a lump of earth on the roots
The flowerbed or area for planting heucherella must first be dug up, adding a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Organic matter is also suitable, for example, humus with wood ash. Seedlings or cuttings are placed vertically in holes at a distance of 0.3-0.35 m from each other if planted in groups.The root system is covered with soil, and then the flowerbed is abundantly moistened.
Features of cultivation
Although Heucherella is a frost-resistant plant, it is better to cover it with spunbond or other material for the winter. This is not due to the cold, but to the need to protect the plant from sunlight. Heucherella overwinters without shedding its leaves. When they are exposed to bright sun, strong evaporation of moisture occurs, while the dormant root system is unable to replenish its loss. If you do not protect the plant during this period, then by spring it will simply dry out. Otherwise, care procedures do not differ from standard ones.
Diseases and pests
Heucherella is resistant to diseases and pests. Its condition can only be weakened by the wrong choice of planting site, disturbance of the water regime, or increased acidity of the soil. Excess moisture can cause root rot, in which case the plant needs to be dug up and replanted in a more suitable place. For the same reason, other fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew or brown spot, can develop. The affected areas must be cut out and burned, and the bush itself must be treated with fungicides.
Slugs damage not only heucherellas, but also many other garden plants.
If the heucherella planting site is shaded and damp, then it can be attacked by slugs. These gastropods can greatly spoil the decorative appearance of bushes by eating the foliage on them. Slugs are fought with the help of various traps, collected by hand, and soda or crushed eggshells scattered around the stems.
Difference between Heuchera and Heucherella
Heuchera is the closest relative of Heucherella. It was used as one of the parent forms in the development of this hybrid.Both plants are ornamental shrubs and are widely used to decorate garden plots and in landscape design. Their main difference is that heuchera is an independent species, a plant that reproduces by seeds and is found in the wild, and heucherella is a hybrid obtained artificially.
In appearance, heuchera can be distinguished from heucherella by several characteristics. It is larger, its flower stalks are higher, but the flowering period is not as long. Heucherella inflorescences resemble panicles of small star-shaped flowers and in this way they are more similar to tiarella, another parent form.
Conclusion
The listed varieties and types of heucherella with photos and names are not a complete list. There are many varieties of this ornamental perennial shrub, and every year breeders develop more and more new ones. Heyherella definitely deserves the attention of both amateurs and landscape design professionals, and her numerous awards only confirm this.
