Coral Bells (Heuchera) are highly valued perennials primarily for their remarkable foliage, which spans colors from lime green and peach to deep purple and nearly black. Unlike many garden plants celebrated for their flowers, the mounding, semi-evergreen rosette of Heuchera provides continuous seasonal interest. Its tidy, low-growing habit and tolerance for shaded conditions make it a versatile foundation plant in mixed borders. Companion planting involves selecting species that not only thrive in the same environment but also create visual interest through contrasting textures and heights.
Essential Growing Conditions for Coral Bells
Coral Bells prefer a location that receives partial shade, ideally four to six hours of direct sunlight daily in the morning hours. Intense afternoon sun can scorch the delicate leaves, particularly in lighter-colored cultivars like chartreuse or amber varieties, causing foliage edges to brown and crisp. Cultivars with darker, more saturated pigments, such as deep burgundy or near-black, generally tolerate more sun exposure without fading.
Heuchera thrives in rich, humus-laden soil that is consistently moist but drains rapidly. The plant’s shallow root system makes it susceptible to root rot if water is allowed to sit around the crown, especially during winter months. Amending heavy clay soil with organic matter, like compost, is necessary to ensure proper aeration and drainage. The soil pH should be slightly acidic to neutral, generally between 5.5 and 7.5, mimicking their native woodland habitat.
Consistent moisture is necessary, but the soil should never become waterlogged. Watering is best done at the base of the plant to keep the foliage dry, which helps prevent fungal issues like powdery mildew. While established plants exhibit some drought tolerance, regular deep watering during extended dry periods is required for the best foliage display.
Low-Growing Companions for Foliage and Texture Contrast
The mounding, scalloped leaves of Heuchera provide an opportunity to introduce textural contrast using low-growing plants. Hostas (Hosta spp.) are an effective pairing, offering opposition of leaf size and texture. Where Coral Bells are relatively small-leaved and often ruffled, Hostas introduce large, smooth, and sometimes heavily ribbed foliage in shades of blue, green, or variegation. Planting a dark purple Heuchera next to a large, blue-leaved Hostas like ‘Halcyon’ emphasizes the difference in pigment and scale.
Ferns are another option, providing a delicate, fine texture that offsets the density of the Coral Bells mound. The lacy fronds of a Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’) with its silvery-grey and burgundy markings create a soft background. The contrast between the rigid, semi-evergreen Heuchera leaf and the flowing, deciduous fronds adds movement to the garden bed. This pairing works because both genera prefer the same moist, shaded, woodland conditions.
Creeping groundcovers suppress weeds while offering complementary foliage. Lamium (Lamium maculatum) is a vigorous groundcover that features silver-splashed or solid silver leaves. The silver foliage of Lamium provides a cool-toned highlight against the warm colors of an amber or orange-leaved Heuchera cultivar. Similarly, Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) offers glossy, dark-purple foliage and a low, dense mat that anchors the vibrant Heuchera colors.
Taller Companions for Vertical Interest and Seasonal Bloom
While low-growing companions emphasize texture, taller plants are necessary to introduce vertical dimension and extend the period of bloom interest. Astilbe is a shade-tolerant perennial that thrives in the same moist, organic soil as Coral Bells. Its plume-like flowers, which emerge in mid-summer, introduce a feathery texture that contrasts sharply with the solid, mounding form of Heuchera.
The erect flower spikes of Astilbe, available in shades of pink, red, lavender, and white, rise above the Heuchera foliage, breaking up the horizontal plane. The bloom time of Astilbe follows the early spring flowers of other companions, ensuring a continuous display.
Hellebores (Helleborus spp.), or Lenten Roses, provide color at the start of the season, often blooming while snow is still on the ground. Their leathery, evergreen foliage provides a robust, coarse texture that holds up year-round, contrasting with the softer leaves of Heuchera.
Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra spectabilis), now often reclassified as Lamprocapnos spectabilis, introduce a unique form with their arching stems and heart-shaped flowers. Blooming in early to mid-spring, the foliage of Bleeding Hearts contrasts with the density of the Coral Bells before it often goes dormant in the heat of summer.