Coral bells (Heuchera 'Marmalade')
Heuchera 'Marmalade' is a vigorous Coral bells cultivar offering stunning russet to amber foliage and red-brown summer flowers.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Heuchera ‘Marmalade’, commonly known as Coral bells, is a highly valued herbaceous perennial cherished for its standout, vigorous clump-forming habit. This cultivar distinguishes itself with unique foliage displaying rich russet to amber tones that provide season-long visual interest in the garden. As a hybrid cross, Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ offers robust performance, translating the best attributes of its parent species into a manageable garden specimen.
This plant provides excellent texture and color contrast, thriving in conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade depending on your climate zone. Its foliage forms a dense basal mound that handles both border edges and mass plantings effectively. Gardeners appreciate Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ for its proven reliability and lower maintenance needs once established.
Tiny, red-brown flowers appear on slender spikes, rising above the colorful mound typically in early summer. Whether utilized as an edger along paths or nestled into woodland garden settings, Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ brings dependable color and structure to shaded or partially sunny borders.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Saxifragaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-1.5 ft
- Spread: 0.75-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: Red-brown
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Planting Coral bells should occur when conditions are favorable, ideally in spring or early fall. The key to success for Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ is providing organically rich, humusy soil that is reliably medium in moisture but exceptionally well-drained. While the parentage of many hybrids is unknown, this variety generally performs well in typical garden settings.
Regarding sun exposure, parentage dictates the exact optimum. Northern gardeners can often provide full sun, but in hotter southern locations, afternoon shade is essential to prevent leaf scorch and decline. If you site your Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ in full sun, consistent watering becomes critical; never let the soil dry out completely.
For general care, remove faded flower stems during the season to encourage any secondary blooms. Depending on winter severity in cold climates, the foliage may remain semi-evergreen. Apply a winter compost mulch only after the ground freezes to insulate roots and prevent damaging frost heaving. Clumps of this vigorous Coral bells cultivar benefit from division every three to four years during the spring reset.
Landscape Uses
Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ exhibits excellent versatility, performing beautifully when massed together to create swathes of amber color or planted individually for accent. Due to its tidy, upright habit, it excels as a defined border plant along walkways or the front edge of perennial beds. This provides year-round structure, even when dormant in colder spells.
This plant naturally thrives in open woodland gardens where it receives dappled or filtered light throughout the day. Consider pairing Coral bells with plants that offer fine, contrasting textures, such as ferns or hostas whose foliage provides a cool backdrop to the warm tones of ‘Marmalade’. It also adapts well to rock gardens, adding a splash of vibrant, low-mounding color amidst stone elements.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Heuchera, commonly called coral bells or alumroot, belongs to a genus of about 55 evergreen to semi-evergreen herbaceous perennials native widely across North America. Hybrid plants like Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ now showcase an expanded palette of leaf colors, including shades of orange-yellow, bronze, and red. ‘Marmalade’ itself is noted for its vigorous, clump-forming habit featuring russet to amber foliage and red-brown summer flowers, reaching about 18 inches tall on slender stems.
Tolerances
The provided data does not list specific environmental tolerances beyond general growing preferences.
Potential Problems
Frost heaving is a primary concern for established Coral bells when winter temperatures fluctuate widely, leading to root exposure. Potential disease issues include powdery mildew, rust, and bacterial leaf spot, though Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ reportedly has good resistance to powdery mildew. Watch out for common insect pests such as weevils and foliar nematodes. Preventing heaving is best managed by applying a protective winter compost mulch only after the soil has frozen solid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Coral bells suitable for?
Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ is suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8.
How large does Coral bells grow?
This cultivar typically reaches a height between 0.75 and 1.5 feet tall with a similar spread of 0.75 to 1.5 feet.
What sun exposure does Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ need?
It prefers full sun to part shade exposure, requiring the afternoon shade to be protected in hotter southern climates.
When does Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ bloom?
This Coral bells variety generally blooms from June to July, producing attractive red-brown flowers.
Conclusion
Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ is an outstanding choice for adding long-lasting, warm color to partially shaded spaces, thanks to its striking russet and amber foliage. This resilient Coral bells variety helps fill gaps in the garden calendar, providing consistent visual appeal. Before planting, ensure your growing location aligns with USDA Zones 4-8 and that you can commit to medium moisture levels for this superb hybrid.
Companion Planting
When designing with Heuchera ‘Marmalade’, focus on pairing it with plants that complement its rich, warm leaf tones while sharing similar soil and moisture needs. Woodland phlox or bleeding hearts make excellent companions, offering different flower forms in spring and thriving in the same semi-shaded environments. For foliage contrast, consider planting near plants with contrasting cool blues or deep greens, such as blue hostas or fine-textured ferns, which allow the amber foliage of your Coral bells to truly stand out.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring is the ideal time for dividing overgrown clumps of Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ every few years to maintain vigor. Lightly top-dress the soil with compost to replenish organic matter. Deadheading spent flower stalks encourages cleaner summer appearance. In summer, pay close attention to watering, especially if the plant is situated in morning sun; consistent medium moisture is key to preventing leaf burn. Finally, prepare for winter by avoiding late-season fertilization and applying a protective winter mulch over the root zone only after the first deep freeze has occurred.
