Heuchera DOLCE® 'WILDBERRY' coral bells
Heuchera
Heucheras – coral bells are undemanding yet striking perennials that have gained popularity thanks to their beautiful foliage and delicate flowers, sometimes appearing in rich inflorescences. They form dense clumps of leaves with a breathtaking range of colours. The genus was named after Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677–1746), a German physician and professor. It includes around forty species of perennial plants, mostly native to North America, except for H. sichotensis from the Russian Far East. To Europe, heucheras were introduced in the 18th century. their classification can be quite challenging as in the wild, these plants often crossbreed, and their flowers change shape significantly as they mature. That’s why so many breeders are drawn to them – their variable gene pool invites experimentation, and the thrill of discovering something new at the end of a breeding attempt is simply irresistible 😊.
Wildberry coral bells belongs to the DOLCE® series and makes bold foliage of deep purple red colours as the leaves emerge, and dark purple pink with charcoal veins as they mature in summer. They are very resistant to both sun and frost, therefore will look nice also through mild winters until spring. Small, purplish-pink flowers are composed in erect panicles atop straight, 30-40 cm tall, dark red stems from early summer onwards. They can be cut off if only beautiful foliage is what you desire.
Hans. A. Hansen is a productive American breeder who so far has patented over 600 plants, mostly flowering perennials, but also grasses and some flowering shrubs like buddleja. Wildberry is a coral bells variety selected in 2016 as a hybrid of Black Pearl. It was patented as PP31222 in 2019 in 2019, and is marketed in the Proven Winners® range in the USA.
Coral bells can take almost any soil with ample moisture and good drainage. They do best in partial shade or filtered sun, however, if you make sure they will not dry out you can place them in full sun, too. They can also live in dark shade where their colours will not be too rich, such location is usually best for light coloured varieties. Cut off all leaves in early spring to encourage growth of new foliage. Fully hardy to abt. -34°C (USDA zone 4), and suitable for outdoor pots.
Last update 21-01-2020
