Coral Bells

Coral Bells 'Silver Gumdrop' (Heuchera 'Silver Gumdrop') is grown for its foliage first and its flowers second. It forms a neat clump about 40cm tall and 40cm wide, with rounded leaves overlaid in silver above darker veining, then lifts slim pink flower spikes above the mound. In a shaded border where most colour comes and goes with the season, this one holds its look all year.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage that lasts. The silver overlay carries the planting between flowering flushes, which is exactly what a shady bed needs.
• Compact and predictable. At 40cm each way it stays where you put it, so a border stays legible instead of sprawling after two seasons.
• Pink flower spikes above the mound. Slender stems lift the flowers clear of the leaves, and bees and butterflies work them steadily.
• Frost hardy and low maintenance. It handles cold southern winters and asks for little beyond a tidy up and a feed each spring.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 0.3m apart for a dense border. At that spacing the clumps touch by the second season and the silver reads as a continuous ribbon.

Pots and small gardens. A 300mm pot suits a single plant, and container growing lets you move it out of hot afternoon sun as the seasons shift.

Groundcover and mass planting. Under deciduous trees or along a shaded wall it makes a low, even cover. It is a light duty groundcover, not a plant for foot traffic.

Growing Coral Bells in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade is the sweet spot. Full sun scorches the leaves, while deep shade thins the silver. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it struggles through humid summers, so tropical and subtropical gardeners should treat it as a short lived seasonal planting.

Soil. Rich, friable and free draining, with plenty of compost worked through. Coral bells rot in heavy wet ground, so raise the bed on clay and keep mulch pulled back from the crown.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist. This is not a drought tolerant plant, and a dry spell shows up quickly as crisp leaf edges. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer.

Pruning and dividing. Remove tired outer leaves at the base and cut spent flower stems right down. Every three years lift the clump, discard the woody centre and replant the vigorous outer pieces.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is supplied as tube stock, which is how coral bells travel best. Each tube is a young rooted plant with a small rosette of leaves rather than a full clump, so expect something modest for the first month while the roots establish. It usually reaches its mature 40cm spread in the second growing season and flowers from the first spring after planting.

A few dropped or bruised leaves after transit are normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best ground cover plants for shade
• Plants that suit partial shade
• Plants for cool climate gardens
• Ideas for small gardens

Common questions

How much sun can it take?

Morning sun is ideal, afternoon sun is not. In hot inland or west facing positions the leaf margins scorch, so give it shade from about midday onwards.

Will it cope with a humid summer?

Not well. Sustained heat and humidity cause crown rot, which is why coral bells suit cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In warmer humid districts, grow it in a pot with sharp drainage and accept a shorter life.

How far apart should I plant it for a border?

Thirty centimetres apart. The clumps meet in the second season and hold that density for several years before they need dividing.