Coral bells (Heuchera 'Silver Scrolls')
Heuchera 'Silver Scrolls' coral bells features stunning silver-purple foliage. A clump-forming perennial perfect for shaded borders in zones 4-9.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’, a highly sought-after cultivar of Coral bells, is prized primarily for its spectacular foliage display. This clump-forming perennial produces large, rounded leaves that boast a metallic, silvery-purple hue dramatically contrasted by deep purple veining. This unique coloration provides indispensable texture and light reflection in shaded garden areas throughout the growing season.
As a hybrid Coral bells, ‘Silver Scrolls’ offers reliable structure, forming a basal mound approximately 0.75 to 2 feet tall and spreading up to 1 foot wide. While it does produce small, inconspicuous white flowers on wiry stems in early summer, its main visual impact comes from its enduring, dense habit perfect for year-round interest, especially in milder climates.
Growing Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ successfully relies on pairing its aesthetic appeal with proper environmental selection. It thrives best in settings where it is protected from the harshest afternoon sun, ensuring that its striking silver-purple leaves remain pristine and avoid scorch, making it a staple for woodland edges and shaded borders.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Saxifragaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-2 ft
- Spread: 0.75-1 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Heucheras are best positioned in organically rich, humusy soils with medium moisture and excellent drainage. Planting should ideally occur in spring or fall, choosing a location that typically receives dappled light or morning sun. While some hybrids tolerate full sun, especially further north, south-facing locations demand shade during the hot afternoon to prevent foliage decline.
Consistent moisture is critical; soils should not be allowed to dry out, particularly if the plant is situated in a sunnier spot, as this can lead to leaf scorch. Maintenance is generally low, but gardeners should remove faded flower stems to potentially encourage a secondary flush of blooms. Divide established clumps every three to four years in the spring to maintain vigor.
For winter preparedness in colder zones (like Zone 4), apply a compost mulch after the ground freezes solid to minimize root heaving caused by fluctuating winter temperatures. Retaining foliage color during winter depends heavily on the severity of the cold snap in your specific region.
Landscape Uses
The textural brilliance and color of Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ make it an outstanding choice for adding consistent visual interest where few other perennials thrive. It functions superbly when massed together or planted in drifts along woodland garden paths, creating pools of silvery light beneath taller shrubs or trees.
Its compact yet mounding habit makes Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ highly effective as a formal or informal edger along walkways and driveways, clearly defining their borders without crowding the path. Consider pairing this sophisticated coral bells cultivar with deep green hostas, fine-textured ferns, or dark-leaved Ajuga for maximum color contrast.
These plants perform well in rock gardens, providing softness against hardscaping materials, or integrated into mixed container arrangements where their year-round color acts as a living mulch or foreground anchor.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Heuchera, commonly called coral bells or alumroot, is a genus native to North America, encompassing about 55 species known for being evergreen to semi-evergreen herbaceous perennials. ‘Silver Scrolls’ is a hybrid cultivar featuring large, metallic silvery-purple leaves with dark purple veining against a basal mound that can reach 5-8 inches tall. Tiny, whitish flowers emerge on airy panicles, rising usually to about 24 inches, offering a subtle summer accent above the dramatic foliage.
Tolerances
Potential Problems
The primary concern for Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ relates to fluctuating winter soil temperatures, which can cause frost heaving and expose roots to damage. Diseases to watch for include powdery mildew, rust, and bacterial leaf spot, often favored by overly humid or wet conditions. Monitor for common pests such as weevils and foliar nematodes, ensuring good air circulation helps mitigate fungal issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Coral bells suitable for?
Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 9, offering excellent adaptability across many climate regions.
How large does Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ grow?
This Coral bells cultivar typically forms a mound reaching 0.75 to 2 feet in height and spreads between 0.75 and 1 foot wide.
What sun exposure does Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ need?
Optimal light for Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ is full sun to part shade, though protection from hot afternoon sun is recommended, especially in warmer zones.
When does Coral bells bloom?
Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ produces its small white flowers throughout the early summer months, typically from June to July.
Conclusion
The versatility and striking metallic foliage make Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ an indispensable choice for adding year-round structure and color to shaded garden spaces. Ensure you select a planting site with excellent drainage to protect this beautiful coral bells from root issues. Check your local USDA zone compatibility before planning your placement this season.
Companion Planting
Companion selection for Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ should focus on plants that share similar requirements for shade and medium moisture to ensure overall garden harmony. Excellent partners include Hosta varieties with solid green or blue foliage, providing a strong textural contrast to the lobed leaves of Heuchera.
Consider using Astilbes, whose airy, upright plumes complement the mounding structure of the Coral bells, or shade-loving Heuchera relatives like Tiarella (Foamflower). Planting near groundcovers such as Vinca minor can help keep the soil cool and evenly moist around the base of your Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring is the ideal time to divide overgrown clumps of Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ and refresh the soil with a top dressing of compost. As summer progresses, monitor moisture levels closely; dry spells require immediate watering, particularly for plants receiving more than three hours of direct sun.
In autumn, remove any spent or damaged foliage, although in warmer areas, the leaves of this semi-evergreen perennial provide winter interest. Before the ground freezes hard in late fall, apply a protective layer of mulch around the base to buffer the soil temperature and prevent winter heaving.
