Black Forest Cake Coral Bells

Black Forest Cake Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Black Forest Cake') is a compact perennial grown for foliage so dark it reads as black, with slender red flower spikes rising above it in spring and summer. The plant sits at about 35cm tall including those spikes and spreads to around 40cm, so it works at the front of a border or in a pot. Frost hardy, shade tolerant, and not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Near black foliage that never fades. The mound of ruffled leaves holds its colour all year, giving a shaded bed contrast that flowers cannot provide.
• Red flowers on fine stems. Slim spikes carry small red bells above the leaves for weeks, without deadheading.
• It stays small. At roughly 35cm by 40cm it holds its shape indefinitely, so it suits pots, edges and tight courtyard beds.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and the spikes bring in bees and butterflies.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. A single row at 30cm centres gives a continuous dark edge along a path. The contrast against pale gravel or silver foliage is why most people buy it.

Mass planting and groundcover. Plant 30cm apart for dense cover, about eleven per square metre. The mounds meet in a season and shade out weed seedlings.

Pots and rockeries. One of the better perennials for a shaded pot, alone in a 300mm container or as a dark base layer under something taller.

Growing Black Forest Cake Coral Bells in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade, or morning sun with afternoon protection. Full sun in a hot garden bleaches the dark leaves. This is a plant for cool temperate and warm temperate gardens: frost hardy and happy with a cold winter, but not suited to subtropical or tropical gardens, where humid summers rot the crown.

Soil. Free draining and rich in organic matter. Work compost through the bed and mulch lightly, but keep the mulch off the crown, since a buried crown is the usual cause of losing one.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through the first summer, then water regularly in dry weather. It is not drought tolerant. Feed a slow release fertiliser once in early spring and no more, since rich feeding produces growth that flops.

Tidying and dividing. Pull off tired outer leaves and cut spent flower spikes at the base. Over three or four years the crown lifts out of the soil: lift in early spring, divide, and replant deeper.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in 140mm pots and sold in packs of ten. Ten plants at 30cm spacing cover close to one square metre of groundcover, or about three metres of single row edging. Each arrives as an established mound with a full root ball, so it can go straight into a prepared bed or a pot.

The leaves are soft and will show a few creases from the box. Trim those off and fresh growth covers the gap within a month. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Plant in autumn or early spring and expect the clumps to close over in the first full season. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best groundcover plants for shade
• Browse plants suited to partial shade
• Compare plants that are safe around pets
• Perennials for cool climate gardens

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

About eleven, at 30cm spacing. A pack of ten covers roughly one square metre of groundcover, or three metres of edging.

Will it grow in a warm humid garden?

Not reliably. It suits cool temperate and warm temperate gardens. In subtropical and tropical conditions the mix of heat and humidity rots the crown, so treat it as a seasonal pot plant.

How much sun can it take?

Part shade is best, and morning sun with afternoon shade gives the strongest leaf colour. Full sun scorches the leaf edges and dulls the near black tone.