Coral bells (Heuchera 'Chocolate Veil')
Heuchera 'Chocolate Veil' offers striking, chocolate-black foliage. These Coral bells are medium-maintenance perennials ideal for borders in zones 4-9.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’, commonly known as Coral bells, is a highly valued herbaceous perennial prized primarily for its dramatic, dark foliage. This cultivar produces large, smooth leaves in a deep chocolate-black hue, offering powerful contrast in shaded garden vignettes. As one of the many popular hybrids in cultivation, Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ brings year-round interest to the landscape, especially in areas where its leaves remain evergreen through mild winters.
This clump-forming perennial creates a neat basal mound, typically staying under two feet tall, though slender flower stems rise higher in early summer. Its reliable nature and adaptability, thriving from full sun in cooler climates to part shade in hot regions, make Coral bells a versatile choice for various garden settings. Gardeners rely on Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ to anchor beds and add textural depth where other colors might fade.
While the whitish flowers are less of a focal point than the leaves, they appear on airy panicles, attracting some attention in late spring to early summer. Success with Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ hinges on providing well-drained soil and consistent moisture, ensuring the distinctive foliage remains pristine across its wide hardiness range.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Saxifragaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-2 ft
- Spread: 1-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: Whitish
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
For optimal health, plant Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ in organically rich, humusy soil that offers excellent drainage. The best planting time is generally spring or fall. While these Coral bells can tolerate full sun, gardeners should prioritize afternoon shade, particularly in hotter southern climates, to prevent leaf scorch. If situated in full sun, consistent medium moisture is crucial; never allow the soil to dry out completely.
Watering should be consistent with its ‘medium’ needs, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but never waterlogged. Divide large clumps every three to four years during the spring to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding, as this is the standard propagation method for hybrids like Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’.
In colder regions, applying a winter compost mulch after the ground freezes helps insulate the roots and mitigates wind heaving common to shallow-rooted perennials. Remove the spent flower stems to encourage any potential rebloom and tidy the overall look of your Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ mound as the season concludes.
Landscape Uses
Coral bells are exceptional choices for mass planting or grouping, providing solid blocks of rich color that unify garden borders. Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ works beautifully as an informal edger, defining the perimeter of paths or walkways with its dark, mounding form.
These plants integrate seamlessly into rock gardens, adding deep, velvety contrast against lighter stones or brighter foliage companions. For open woodland settings, plant them beneath deciduous trees where they receive dappled light throughout the day, mimicking their native habitat preferences. Pairing this dark cultivar with chartreuse hostas or silvery lamb’s ears creates dynamic visual tension.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Heuchera, commonly called coral bells or alumroot, is a genus of evergreen to semi-evergreen herbaceous perennials native to North America, spanning diverse habitats from woodland floors to rocky cliffs. As a hybrid, ‘Chocolate Veil’ features large, smooth, chocolate-black leaves forming a basal mound that can spread up to 16 inches wide. Its airy, whitish flowers emerge on slender stems, rising well above the foliage mound typically to 24-28 inches tall during its bloom season.
Tolerances
Potential Problems
One primary concern for Coral bells, including Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’, is frost heaving when winter temperatures fluctuate dramatically, pushing shallow roots above the soil line. Prevent this by applying a protective winter mulch only after the ground has frozen solid.
Foliage health can be compromised by powdery mildew, rust, and bacterial leaf spot, often exacerbated by poor air circulation or excessive overhead watering. Watch out for potential insect issues like weevils and foliar nematodes, particularly if cultural conditions are less than ideal. Maintaining good air flow and avoiding overly damp conditions are key preventative measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Coral bells suitable for?
This cultivar is reliably hardy across USDA Zones 4 through 9, offering flexibility for many regions.
How large does Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ grow?
At maturity, the foliage mound typically reaches 0.75 to 2 feet in height and spreads between 1 and 1.5 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ need?
It performs best in settings ranging from full sun, especially in northern climates, to part shade, where it benefits from protection during hot afternoon hours.
When does Coral bells bloom?
Blooming occurs from June into July, presenting small, whitish flowers held on airy panicles above the dark foliage.
Conclusion
Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ is an indispensable perennial, offering intense color and durable texture that brightens shaded borders year-round. The striking, chocolate-black leaves ensure this Coral bells cultivar remains ornamental long after the small flowers fade. Before planting, ensure your landscape matches the medium water and drainage requirements, check that the USDA zone falls within 4–9, and enjoy adding this dynamic foliage plant to your garden design.
Companion Planting
Selecting companions for Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ relies on finding plants that share its love for rich, well-drained soil and appreciate similar light conditions. Pair the deep, nearly black foliage of this Coral bells with silver-leaved plants like Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ears) or bright green groundcovers to maximize the contrast. In partial shade, shade-tolerant ferns or lighter green Hosta varieties create excellent textural groupings around the mounding habit of Heuchera.
Consider plants that bloom at slightly different times. While the Heuchera blooms in early summer, pairing it with spring-blooming bulbs that die back gracefully allows the foliage of Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ to take center stage once the bulbs are dormant. This creates season-long interest without visual competition.
Propagation Tips
Since Heuchera ‘Chocolate Veil’ is a hybrid, propagation is best achieved through division rather than seed, which will not reliably produce identical offspring. The ideal time to divide the clumps is in the spring before major new growth emerges or just as the plant begins to settle into its growing cycle.
Gently lift the entire clump using a garden fork or spade, working carefully to avoid damaging the crowns. Tease the root ball apart, ensuring each new division has a healthy segment of roots attached to several leafy stems—aim for divisions that are at least softball size for the best establishment rate. Replant these divisions immediately into prepared, well-amended soil at the same depth they were previously growing.
