Coral bells (Heuchera 'Berry Smoothie')
Heuchera 'Berry Smoothie' coral bells feature rose-pink foliage darkening to purple-pink, blooming soft pink in zones 4-8.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’, a stunning variety of coral bells, provides essential color and texture throughout the growing season, making it a staple for perennial gardens. This vigorous hybrid is specifically valued for its clump-forming habit of rose-pink leaves that mature into deeper purple-pink tones. As an herbaceous perennial, Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ offers season-long interest, often remaining semi-evergreen in milder winters.
This cultivar thrives best when given rich, humusy soil and consistent moisture, though its ideal sun exposure can vary based on climate. While it tolerates full sun in cooler northern regions, most gardeners find that providing afternoon shade prevents leaf scorch, especially during summer heat waves. The resulting effect is a reliably colorful mound accented by airy sprays of soft pink flowers in early summer.
Gardeners appreciate coral bells for their low-maintenance nature once established and their ability to brighten shady spots or anchor borders. The rich foliage display of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ ensures visual impact long after the delicate blooms fade, securing its reputation as an indispensable structural plant.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Saxifragaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-2 ft
- Spread: 1-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: Soft pink
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Planting coral bells is best accomplished in the spring, ensuring the plants settle well before summer stress. Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ requires organically rich, humusy, and medium-moisture soil that is well-drained. Good drainage is non-negotiable, as wet, cold winter soil is a primary cause of failure due to root issues. Site selection is crucial: northern gardeners can achieve deeper color definition in full sun, but ensure consistent moisture if planting in open light. Southern gardeners should prioritize afternoon shade to protect the gorgeous foliage.
Maintain medium moisture levels, particularly if the plant receives more than a few hours of direct sun. If your soil is heavy, amend heavily with compost to improve drainage and aeration. Fertilization is generally not necessary if the soil is rich, but a light top-dressing of compost or an all-purpose fertilizer in early spring can encourage vigorous new growth.
Prune faded flower stems (“deadheading”) to redirect energy and potentially encourage sporadic rebloom. Foliage color retention in winter depends heavily on temperature severity; in very cold regions, apply a winter compost mulch after the ground freezes to prevent frost heaving. Plan on dividing clumps of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ every three to four years during the spring to maintain vigor.
Landscape Uses
Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ offers fantastic versatility, especially for areas needing consistent, low-growing color near vertical elements. These coral bells perform excellently when massed together, creating a sea of purple-pink texture that contrasts beautifully against lighter green or silver foliage plants. They are effective as a sophisticated edging element along defined paths or walkways where their foliage mounds provide a neat, year-round border.
Consider incorporating Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ into rock gardens, where their spreading habit contrasts nicely with sharp, angular stones. Alternatively, they thrive in open woodland settings, mimicking the dappled light conditions many species prefer. Look for companions that appreciate similar shade and soil textures, such as Hellebores, Hostas, or Astilbes, to build layered texture.
The contrasting leaf texture of this hybrid ensures it acts as a year-round anchor unlike many seasonal bloomers. Use them to soften the edges of foundation plantings or as textural fillers in mixed seasonal containers.
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 across North America, thriving in diverse habitats. This specific cultivar, Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’, is a clump-forming hybrid noted for its rose-pink leaves that deepen to purple-pink, retaining good color all season. It produces small, soft pink flowers on wiry stems rising above the foliage mound in late spring to early summer.
Tolerances
No specific tolerances were provided.
Potential Problems
The primary cultural concern for Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ is frost heaving, which happens when winter temperatures fluctuate widely, pushing the roots toward the soil surface. To mitigate this, apply a protective winter compost mulch only after the soil has frozen solid to insulate the roots. Disease potential includes common fungal issues like powdery mildew and rust, as well as bacterial leaf spot; ensure good air circulation and avoid overhead watering to prevent these. Potential insect pests include weevils and foliar nematodes, though these are usually minor issues if the plant is sited correctly in well-drained soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Coral bells suitable for?
Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ (coral bells) is hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 8.
How large does Coral bells grow?
This clump-forming variety typically forms a basal mound reaching 1 to 2 feet in height and spreading between 1 and 1.5 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ need?
Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ performs best in full sun to part shade, though afternoon shade is recommended for the best foliage appearance, especially in warmer areas.
When does Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ bloom?
This coral bells hybrid flowers from June into July, displaying small, soft pink blossoms.
Conclusion
The rich, evolving foliage of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ ensures superior color impact, making any garden space noticeably brighter throughout the season. This reliable, medium-maintenance coral bells variety offers great structure and texture whether used as an edger or mass planting. Confirm your soil drainage is excellent and select a location receiving appropriate sun exposure for your climate before planting Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ this spring.
Companion Planting
Selecting appropriate neighbors is key to maximizing the visual appeal of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’. Since coral bells prefer rich, well-drained soil and often appreciate dappled light, pair them with other shade-loving perennials that offer textural contrast. Consider planting alongside silvery Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) for textural variation or Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) for contrasting arching habits in moist, shaded areas.
Hostas of contrasting leaf size and color—such as those with large blue or chartreuse foliage—create wonderful depth when placed behind the mounds of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’. They also mix well with shade-tolerant annuals like Impatiens in containers, allowing the foliage of the coral bells to provide structure through the entire growing season.
Design Ideas for Compact Mounds
The manageable size and consistent mounding habit of Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ make it an excellent choice for filling in gaps toward the front of perennial borders. Use them in groupings of three or five plants spaced evenly to create drifts of color that draw the eye along a walkway or seating area. Because the blooms rise above the mound on wiry stems, they integrate well into mixed borders without obscuring shorter foreground plants.
Consider using Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ in contemporary container arrangements where their deep foliage color can anchor brighter annuals like trailing petunias or upright calibrachoa. In shaded courtyards or patio settings, these plants provide necessary evergreen presence against hardscaping elements like stone or brick.
