Fire Alarm Heuchera

Fire Alarm Heuchera (Heuchera 'Fire Alarm') is grown for its leaves, not its flowers. It forms a tidy mound about 40cm high and 40cm across in a brick red that holds through the year rather than fading to green by midsummer. Slender white flower spikes rise above the foliage in the warmer months, a bonus rather than the point. It is also not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Leaf colour that lasts. Brick red foliage carries the plant twelve months of the year, so a border never goes flat between flowering seasons.
• It stays where you put it. At 40cm by 40cm it holds a neat clump and does not run, spread or seed through the bed.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a courtyard the dog has the run of.
• Cold and wind are fine. Frost hardy and wind tolerant, so it copes with exposed southern gardens that flatten softer perennials.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous ribbon of colour along a path. At that spacing the mounds meet without crowding each other for light.

Mass planting and groundcover. The same 40cm spacing gives roughly six plants per square metre, enough to close the ground over a season and keep weeds down.

Pots and containers. Its size suits a 300mm pot on its own, or the edge of a mixed container where the red foliage works all year.

Growing Fire Alarm Heuchera in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade is the sweet spot: morning sun with afternoon shade gives the strongest colour without scorching. This is a plant for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In warmer districts push it further into shade, and be honest that tropical and subtropical humidity is not what it was bred for.

Soil. Free draining and rich in organic matter. Work compost through the bed, and set the crown at soil level rather than burying it, since a buried crown is the usual cause of rot.

Water and feed. Moderate, regular water through the warm months, easing back over winter. It wants moisture without ever sitting wet. A light feed of slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough for the year.

Pruning and division. Cut tired leaves off at the base in late winter to make room for the new flush, and remove spent flower spikes. Divide the clump every three or four years to keep it vigorous.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in tube stock, a young plant with a small rosette of leaves rather than the full mound in the photographs. Tube stock is the sensible way to buy a perennial like this: it roots into the bed quickly instead of sulking, and reaches close to its mature 40cm spread within a season or two.

The colour deepens once the plant settles and pushes its first proper flush. Plants travel packed upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Low growing plant ideas for borders and edging
• Browse the full groundcover range
• More plants that are safe around cats and dogs
• Plants suited to cool climate gardens

Common questions

How much sun can it take?

Morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best result. Full sun in a hot inland or northern garden bleaches and crisps the leaf edges, while deep shade dulls the red down towards bronze.

Is it safe if my dog chews on it?

Yes. Heuchera is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it is a reasonable choice for a garden pets use. Any plant eaten in quantity can upset a stomach, but there is nothing harmful in the foliage.

How many do I need for a border?

Space them 40cm apart, so a 4m run takes ten plants and a square metre of mass planting takes about six. Planting closer does not close the gap faster and only makes watering harder.