Heuchera Confessions . . .

[renaldo75]

I got addicted to heucheras & tiarellas & heucherellas for good in 2003. I have yet to see one that I don't like. Although I'll admit that a lot of the tiarellas have very similar markings [label them well] until you look really closely. There are a lot that are similar, but I love all the colors & love to contrast the purples & burgundies & rusts & silvers in with hostas. Makes everything POP!!

[John]

I have trouble remembering which are Heuchera-Heucherella-Tiarella... it seems, though, that the Tiarellas are very first to bloom, a number of mine are flowering already.

I even love the green ones, like "Autumn Bride", which are great contrasts to the other colors.

Eventually, I'd like a bed of the coffee-colors, and maybe try some of that bronze carex with them...

[patsue53]

I havn't had much luck with Heuchera's but I bought Plum Pudding last year and it made it through the winter. I was browsing through the HyVee grocery store nursery the other day (just to kill some time...ya know how that goes! ) and they had 2 that were so pretty I just had to bite! So I brought home Stormy Seas and Snow Storm. Wish me luck! I can sure see how they could become an addiction. They're so pretty!

[Justaysam]

Ok, now you all have done it. I had to go out today and get those peachy ones. I bought 2 of each and one key lime. Now I have to go look for that dayglow pink one from the other post. I'll post a pic after I plant them.

[Homer_Zn5]

Well, I have more confessions. I bought a second Amber Waves (bought a 1 gallon this time for the same price as the quart last year--the first one died), Plum Pudding, Obsidian, Stormy Seas, and Silver Scrolls. These are all planted in part to full sun. Hopefully, I'll have better luck with Amber Waves this time.

I would highly recommend Lime Rickey to anyone looking for a bright chartreuse. I have it planted in bright shade/filtered sun under a limbed-up pine tree, and it really grew by leaps and bounds. So far, Marmalade is still looking great, and I'm looking forward to seeing it make it thorugh the winter!

[Tigger]

Bought the new Heuchera/Heucherella book last night, after DH had just planted 5 Strawberry Candys and 6 Petite Marbled Burgundys (or was it 6 and 5?) off the patio. Should make the hummers happy!

One annoyance with the book: why couldn't they include at least some discussion of the genus tiarella? There's an extensive discussion of the heuchera species, but then they just wave their hands and say "cross these with tiarella..." Presumably tiarella cordifolia, but are there other species being used? studied? We saw an adorable tiarella at Mt. Cuba (center for the study of piedmont flora) labeled as t. diphylla but can't find anything about it.

Of course the book leans heavily on cultivars from Terra Nova, but it doesn't quite sink to the level of being simply a vanity book. It's kind of along the lines of the early Hosta Book by Paul Aden. I'm sure better books will follow.

[Maureen_Ottawa]

Glad you mentioned tiarellas. My Neon Lights is just gorgeous now. It was planted just last year and is just loaded with blooms. And the foliage is very bright over the summer.

The only heucherella I've been able to grow is Dayglow. Chocolate Lace didn't make it through its first winter and Heart of Darkness petered out after its first year. I am now trying Birthday Cake.

I haven't found Peach Flambe or Peachy Keen yet. I'll be hunting again this weekend. I did find Marmalade but I wasn't interested enough for $18!

My favourite new one is Swirling Fantasy. And Lime Rickey comes second although it hasn't bloomed.

[Tigger]

Oh, did a little more googling and discovered that what Mt. Cuba labeled a tiarella is apparently mitella diphylla. http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/gal ... adiph.html How taxonomists tell these things apart... There may be some confusion in saxifragaceae.

I wonder if mitella would make an intergeneric hybrid with heuchera?

[Bluecanoe]

Oh my! I've been spending too much time on the Hosta Forum.. Heuchera are my second favorite plant addiction as many who know me already know. I lost a fantastic one over the winter, I bought it on my Ottawa trip and because of construction on the outside of my house which didn't get started on time and finished too late it never made it into the ground and died in it's pot.. It was called "Lady In Red" and had the most fantastic deep red flowers with a nice dark leaf. Now I have to find another one because seriously folks, I do need another red flowering Heuchera in that garden, just for balance don't cha know! I also lost two others, "Beauty of Colour" which the workmen managed to crush with their ladder, and "Ring Of Fire" for some unknown reason. However I still have quite a few left.

Checkers
Ebony and Ivory
Rachel
Stormy Seas
Silver Indiana
Silver Scrolls
Plum Pudding
Velvet Knight
Chocolate Ruffles
Mare
Petite Marbled Burgundy
Mini Mouse
Frosted Mint
Geisha Fan
Midnight Claret
Can Can
Ruby Ruffles
Purple Peticoats
French Velvet
Obsidian
Cathedral Windows
Dale's Strain
Bressingham
Chocolate Veil
Cherries Jubilee
Sashay
Amethyst Myst
and three others I can't remember the names of and their tags are missing..

I did buy a new one last evening, called "Gypsy Dancer" I was out looking for the Peach ones for Maureen, but didn't see them, but I still have one Nursery left to check out which carries a huge variety of Heuchera, I hope to make it there this weekend sometime. I am looking for "Starry Night" and if someone in Canada spots it, let me know..ok?

For a good look at many of my favorites, try this address..

http://www.terranovanurseries.com/pages/plantsH2.html

Here's a photo of "Gypsy Dancer" I just bought, I'd take other photos because my heuchera are doing fantastic this year, but it's POURing rain out there and has been for three days!!

the ones that don't seem to do well in my garden are the light foliage ones, I've had terrible luck with Amber Waves and Monet, both just about broke my heart! ah yes, my first HUGE heartbreak with Heuchera was Persian Carpet, I bought a large 2 gallon pot of it about 6 years ago, planted it in a spot that it seemed to love all summer, but the extension on the gutter drain was aimed the wrong way and come spring the runoff flowed down that slope and froze it's crown solid, I nursed it all the next year and it finally said goodbye, I've never tried that one again. *sniff* but it was gorgeous!

[janet]

I've been reading all the heuchera posts with great interest for quite some time now. I got five more last week, giving me a total of fourteen varieties (for now). Mercury is my absolute favorite from last year and I was thrilled when I found Venus last week. Still looking for the other three planets! Does anyone else have this series? They are just stellar!!

[mooie]

ya still need a 'Velvet Night' to complete your collection! Trust me on this one.......

mooie

[Maureen_Ottawa]

Dang! I'm sorry Lynda. I dug out my Beauty of Color and gave it to my father-in-law. You can have a piece of Ring of Fire for sure.

[hostapair]

one of my favorites is Snow Angel- mottled green and white leaves and bright pink flowers! try it next to a maroon heuchera!

[Justme]

It is a good thing the local nursery is closed today or I would be over there spending $$. Last week I got a Peach ???. Guess I need to move it, or not. Planted near my one of the Heucheras and IT LOVES where it is at. I thought these like shade and have just stuck them all in the hosta gardens and with one exception they have all done well.

Do need to move my Amber waves as it is shrinking, guess it wants more sun.

O.K., next trip to nursery I guess I will get Obsidian and Velvet Night. I looked at both of them last trip and got the Peach?? and a hosta (Delta Dawn) instead.

Tami

[Pandora]

It is rather ironic that the people who have sun have always enjoyed the most colorful flowers and those of us with shade really have to work at getting color in the garden.

And now the 2 of the most diverse shade plants (impatiens & heurcheras), the breeders have turned into "sun" plants.
I lost 2 Amber Waves because (I am pretty sure) that they did not get enough sun. ......But I wanted shade plants. Oh well, now I planted C.Brulee` and KLP in my limited sunny bed and they are very happy.