How to grow heuchera

Heuchera · coral bells, alumroot

Heuchera (Heuchera) — a compact perennial grown for its mounds, 20–30 cm high, of mostly evergreen leaves in purple, near-black, burgundy, lime, gold or silver, often marbled or veined. From early summer wiry stems carry tiny white, pink, red or green bells. Heuchera grows best in partial shade. Water it about every 7 days while it grows.

Updated: October 28, 2026

When to plant heuchera?

It tolerates light frost: plant divisions into the bed about three weeks before your last spring frost.

It flowers about 78 days after growth starts and keeps flowering for about 60 days.

Frost dates · When to plant

Quick facts

Type	Flower
Latin name	Heuchera
Family	Saxifragaceae
Also called	coral bells, alumroot
Planted as	divisions
Life span	perennial
Planting season	spring
Light	Partial shade
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for planting	from 5 °C
First flowers	78 days after growth starts
Flowering lasts	60 days
Grown in	Open ground, At home

How long does heuchera take from planting to flowering?

From planting to the first flowers: about 78 days, or 11 weeks.

Step	Day
Planting	0
Growth starts	0
First flowers	78
End of flowering	138

Days count from the day of sowing or planting, by the figures of the card.

Where does heuchera grow?

60,067 records of the plant in gardens, fields and the wild worldwide; most photos come from United States, Canada, Mexico, Norway, and Germany.

World map: where heuchera has been recorded — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Timothy Mclellan, Winston Goretsky, Erik Inge Bolsø (CC BY / CC0).

Heuchera, United States — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Timothy Mclellan, Winston Goretsky, Erik Inge Bolsø (CC BY / CC0).

Heuchera care by growth stage

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	—

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 2 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 60 days into the stage
Flowering	every 2 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage

Growing notes

Light

Partial or dappled shade suits most kinds. Dark-leaved cultivars take more sun, which can deepen their colour; pale and lime leaves scorch in bright sun. Established plants cope with dry shade under trees.

Soil

Well-drained, humus-rich soil that never stays soggy, as wet conditions rot the crown. On waterlogged ground grow it in containers or raised beds.

Care

Plant in spring or autumn with the crown at its old level or slightly higher, never buried. Water regularly in the first season, then only in long dry spells, at the base without wetting the leaves. Mulch in spring, leaving a gap around the crown. Plants tend to lift in winter — check each spring and replant with the crown at soil level. Pots dry fast, sometimes needing water daily in hot weather, and need regular liquid feeds in spring and summer. Cut out tatty leaves and spent flower stems; divide every three to four years in late spring. Watch for vine weevil grubs and heuchera rust; slugs rarely bother it. The ASPCA lists coral bells as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Pests and diseases of Heuchera

2 problems are recorded for heuchera; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Diseases

Rust

Pests

Vine weevil

Other plants of the Saxifragaceae family

Heuchera belongs to Saxifragaceae; 1 other plant of this family has a guide here.

AstilbeAstilbe

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Garden flowers · Perennial garden flowers · Flowers for shade

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.