Heuchera PRIMO™ 'BLACK PEARL' 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 😊.
Many breeders have their Holy Grail in achieving two colours: true blue or pure black colour. That means colours which are very rare in the wild. Hans Hansen from Walters Gardens in Michigan is one of the lucky ones. In 2013 he managed to hybridize a coral bells variety whose leaves are almost black. It was named Black Pearl and added to the PRIMO™ series. Patent No. PP29395 was issued in 2018.
Black Pearl coral bells produces very dark burgundy, almost black leaves with rosy purple undersides. Leaves are large and glossy, with rounded and slightly ruffled lobes. From early summer appear 40-50 cm tall stems of dark red colour holding an upright panicle of small, white flowers with pink calyxes. They can be cut off if only beautiful foliage is what you desire. Leaves show good resistance to mild frost and are quite nice even in winter. It performs better in full sun, in shaded areas the leaves turn deep green rather than black.
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 04-01-2019
