Featured Plant Highlight, Heuchera

Heuchera (pronounced who-kuh-ruh) have steadily risen in popularity because their characteristics and aesthetic qualities are welcomed by home gardeners and commercial landscapers alike.  They are survivors in the sense that they thrive in one of the toughest outdoor conditions:  dry shade.  Heuchera species native to Eastern North America, and their hybrids, are often found in the shade of deciduous hardwoods like oaks, maples, and beeches.  However, their adaptation to the dry soils caused by the surface roots of trees, enables heuchera to perform in shady, drought conditions despite their relatively shallow root systems.  In fact, the quickest way to kill a heuchera is to plant it in heavy, poorly drained soil, which is a primary reason for unsuccessful garden cultivation.  Heucheras require dappled shade for their best growth and, if applicable, best flowering.  With some exceptions, heuchera is a hardy perennial valued more for its foliage than flowers.  Recent breeding has produced a surprising array of greens, copper tones, garnet red, and dark shades that approach black.  If you can’t provide a shady site for your heucheras, select deeper color cultivars. The lighter green leaf forms tend to be more susceptible to leaf burning. So, if you’re considering an infusion of color into your shade garden, heucheras are a great choice.