Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Colorful Foliage for Every Garden
A landscape designer from Arlington Heights came into Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center last spring with a challenge. Her client wanted year-round color in a shady side yard, but was tired of planting annuals every season. I walked her straight to our coral bells section. “These are game-changers,” I told her. “Color all season, low maintenance, and they come back every year.” She ended up with twenty plants in purple, orange, and lime green. Two months later, she sent photos – the client was thrilled, and now she uses coral bells in almost every design.
That’s what coral bells plants bring to the table – constant color from foliage, not just flowers. At Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center in Barrington, we carry an incredible selection of heuchera varieties in colors from deep purple to bright lime, peachy orange to silver. These versatile perennials work in sun or shade, resist deer, and look good from spring through fall.
Coral Bells Varieties – A Rainbow of Colors
This is where coral bells really shine – the variety selection is amazing. We’re talking purple so dark it’s nearly black, lime green that glows in shade, peach and coral tones, silver with purple veins… way more interesting than plain green leaves.
Popular varieties at Goebbert’s:
Cherry Truffles – Rich cherry-red foliage with dark undertones and subtle veining, offering a refined and elegant pop of color
Caramel – Soft peachy-orange tones that shift throughout the seasons, a versatile favorite that pairs beautifully with almost anything
Mahogany Monster – Large, bold leaves in deep mahogany tones with impressive size and vigor, perfect for making a statement
Catching Fire – Bright golden to amber foliage that intensifies with the seasons, bringing a warm, glowing presence to garden beds
Wildberry – Vibrant purple foliage with a satin finish, compact and eye-catching with strong garden performance
The foliage color changes through the seasons too – spring growth is often brighter, summer deepens the colors, and fall brings out different tones. That’s three looks from one plant! Pair coral bells with astilbe and hostas for a knockout shade combination.
Coral Bells Care Made Simple
Coral bells are low-maintenance once established. Plant them in well-drained soil – they don’t like sitting in water, especially in winter. Mix in some compost when planting, set the crown at soil level (not too deep), and water them in good.
Space coral bells plants 12-15 inches apart. They stay compact – most varieties reach 12-18 inches tall and wide, making them perfect for front of borders, along paths, or in containers. Water regularly the first season while roots establish. After that, they’re pretty drought tolerant, though they look better with occasional watering during dry spells.
One quirk about heuchera: they can heave out of the ground during winter freeze-thaw cycles. If you notice the crown sitting above soil level in spring, gently replant at the proper depth. A light layer of mulch helps prevent this. Our customers in Hoffman Estates deal with this occasionally – it’s normal, just tuck them back in. More tips on perennial winter care in our seasonal guides.
Quick planting steps:
- Choose location based on variety (sun tolerance varies)
- Dig hole same depth as pot, mix in compost
- Set crown at soil level – not buried, not exposed
- Water thoroughly after planting
- Mulch lightly around (not over) the crown
Coral Bells Growing Guide PDF
Are Coral Bells Deer Resistant?
Yes, coral bells are deer resistant! Deer generally leave heuchera alone – the texture and taste don’t appeal to them. This makes coral bells particularly valuable when you’re trying to create a beautiful garden in areas with deer pressure.
We’ve got customers in the more rural parts of Barrington and Algonquin who swear by coral bells for this reason. They can plant them without fencing or repellent spray and still have gorgeous foliage all season. Combine coral bells with other deer-resistant perennials like ferns and sedum for a low-stress garden that looks great without the deer damage.
Coral Bells Sun or Shade Requirements
Here’s the great thing about coral bells – they’re flexible. Most varieties handle both sun and shade, though the ideal spot depends on leaf color. Dark-leaved coral bells (purples, burgundies) can take more sun. Light-leaved varieties (limes, golds, silvers) prefer shade to prevent scorching.
In our Illinois climate, morning sun with afternoon shade works perfectly for almost all coral bells. Full shade? They’ll grow but might get a bit leggy. Full sun? Possible for dark varieties, but you’ll need to water more often. The sweet spot is 4-6 hours of morning sun or bright filtered light all day.
We’ve got customers in Schaumburg and South Barrington growing coral bells successfully in everything from full shade under trees to sunny borders – it’s all about picking the right variety for your light conditions and keeping them watered. For more on designing with shade perennials, check out our blog.
Landscaping With Coral Bells
Coral bells are design workhorses. Use them as edging along paths, in groups of 3-5 for impact, in containers, as groundcover, or mixed into perennial borders. The colorful foliage works like paint – you can create color schemes and contrast just with leaves.
Companion plants for coral bells:
- Hostas – Bold leaves contrast with coral bells’ delicate foliage
- Astilbe – Feathery flowers rise above coral bells foliage
- Ferns – Create natural woodland combinations
- Japanese forest grass – Adds movement, complements colors
- Sedums – Great at base of shrubs with coral bells
Color combinations work great with coral bells. Try purple varieties with lime hostas, or peachy Caramel with blue ferns. Dark Obsidian looks incredible against silvery plants. A landscape designer we work with uses coral bells as her “color anchors” in shade gardens – everything else gets designed around them.
Coral Bells Flowers and Year-Round Care
Yes, coral bells do flower! They send up delicate stalks with tiny bell-shaped blooms in late spring or early summer. The flowers are nice – usually white, pink, or red – but let’s be honest, you’re growing these for the foliage. Some people cut off flower stalks to keep the focus on leaves. Others leave them for hummingbirds, who actually do visit coral bells flowers.
For maintenance, remove any dead or damaged leaves in spring. That’s about it. Every 3-4 years, you might want to divide plants if they get woody in the center or stop looking vigorous. Dig them up in early spring, cut into sections, and replant. Easy.
In fall, you can leave the foliage standing for winter interest (some varieties look great in winter), or cut it back after a hard freeze. Either way works. Just watch for that winter heaving issue we mentioned – check in early spring and replant any crowns that lifted up.
Shop Coral Bells at Goebbert’s
We stock an exceptional selection of coral bells varieties at Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center in Barrington. Our inventory is strongest in spring (April-May) when you can see the fresh foliage colors at their best. We carry classic varieties like Palace Purple and exciting newer hybrids in unique colors you won’t find everywhere.
Our staff can help you choose colors that work with your existing plants and light conditions. Whether you’re in Barrington, South Barrington, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, or Algonquin, stop by and see why coral bells have become one of our most popular perennials. Once you see the color possibilities, you’ll understand why landscape designers love these plants!
