Planting and caring for heuchera in open ground, description of the best varieties and propagation

Ornamental plants are widely used in gardening. One of the most remarkable flowers with unusual leaves is the heuchera, planting and caring for which is simple and accessible to every summer resident. Compliance with growing technology and a combination of different varieties allows you to get beautiful plants that together form a multi-color palette.

Description and characteristics of heuchera

Heuchera belongs to the perennial herbs of the Saxifraga family. The plant comes from the North American continent and prefers to grow near the banks of mountain rivers. However, modern horticulture has adapted varieties for cultivation in areas in other habitats. The height of the bush does not exceed half a meter, while the rosette is quite spreading and grows quickly. Due to this property, transplantation of heuchera or its parts is used to propagate the plant.

The appearance and characteristics of the flower are remarkable:

• dense leaves are located close to the root;
• petioles evenly long;
• the shade of green changes as it grows;
• long flower stalks exceed the height of the plant;
• small bell-shaped flowers are collected in dense panicles;
• fruits - seed pods;
• the seed is small, blunt-spiked, in a dark brown color.

Varieties and varieties of crops

Currently, there are at least 70 species of heuchera, each of which has a unique appearance. High species diversity and the use of modern microchannel plant propagation have made it possible to isolate differences and develop a huge number of varieties of this flower.

The following types are used in ornamental gardening:

• blood red;
• hairy;
• cylindrical;
• small-flowered;
• American;
• hybrid;
• gooseberry leaf.

Blood red heuchera (Heuchera sanguinea)

This type of heuchera belongs to frost-resistant, shade-loving, unpretentious crops. This species is distinguished by its increased density of rounded leaves with a serrated edge. The plant blooms from the first half of June to the end of August, producing long peduncles with panicles of small buds of bright red, crimson or deep pink. Sometimes there are small white and cream spots on the leaf blades. Popular blood-red varieties:

• Monet;
• Variegata.

Heuchera villosa

The species is significantly distinguished from others by the presence of a pubescent surface of the leaves and villi on the peduncles and petioles. Shades of leaves can be bronze-orange, light green and purple. Varieties with high decorative characteristics:

• Bronze Wave.

Heuchera cylindrica

The mountain variety grows well in full light or in weak partial shade. The main feature is large cylindrical inflorescences on high peduncles. The bud palette includes green, coral and red. The leaves are rounded, heart-shaped and distinguished by a green tint and the presence of contrasting lines and silver-gray patterns. Common varieties:

• Green finch.

Heuchera micrantha

The attractive plant remains decorative for a long time, keeping its foliage under snow cover until spring. The bush is resistant to frost and drought, and is also easy to care for. The leaves look a bit like maple and can be purple or silvery green. The inflorescence consists of a large number of very small pinkish-cream colored buds with an orange center. Attractive small-flowered varieties:

• Palace Purple;
• Bresslngham Bronze.

American Heuchera (Heuchera americana)

The mountain flower is significantly lower than other species, the plant growth is no more than 0.2 m. The leaves stand out among others with a double color, they are green on the outside and brownish-purple underneath. The yellow-green buds are located on long peduncles that are almost three times the height of the plant. The color of the leaves changes during the growing season. The most popular variety among gardeners is Green Spice.

Heuchera hybrida

The appearance of this species included heuchera blood-red, American and small-flowered. As a result, the plant has large flowers of white, pinkish, coral-red tones. Flowering duration is 60 days or longer. The leaves are initially green with a contrasting pattern and cream spots. This species must be planted in places protected from gusts of wind and intense rain. Common hybrid varieties:

• Cappuccino;
• Beauty Color;
• Ruby Veil;
• Can Can.

Heuchera grossulariifolia

The main advantage of this type of heuchera is not the patterned leaf shape, but its exceptional resistance to frost and cold. The plant is able to survive even the harshest winter, completely retaining the above-ground part.

Subtleties of growing a plant

Growing decorative heuchera has no special requirements, but there are a number of nuances that will help you get maximum aesthetic pleasure from the plant:

1. Peduncles of decorative deciduous varieties are removed immediately after their appearance, and in flowering varieties - before the fruits form.
2. Young fragile leaves must be protected from physical damage.
3. Periodically, the flower needs to be replanted into a deeper hole to prevent the bush from becoming loose.
4. The crop can be planted together with ornamental grasses, primroses, bergenia and daylilies.

Time and place for landing

The right time for planting heuchera is spring, starting from the second half of March. You can plant bushes in April if the ground is not warm enough. As for growing from seeds, you should be guided by information about planting dates from the manufacturer. The plant is not replanted in the fall, but cuttings can be prepared and left indoors for the winter.

Most heuchera varieties prefer partial shade, but there are some that become more attractive in direct sunlight. It is preferable to plant plants on the eastern or western side of the site.

Soil for the plant

The morphological composition of the soil is not an essential criterion, but, like most herbs, heuchera prefers loose, fertile soil. The plant does not tolerate acidic soil well; acidity is allowed within 5-6 pH, which corresponds to neutral values.

Acidified soil can be corrected by adding wood ash, dolomite flour or chalk.

Heuchera grows best in conditions with good air permeability so that oxygen can easily pass through the soil. It needs a lot of moisture, which does not stagnate at the roots, so it is necessary to provide drainage. Expanded clay, clay chips and small pebbles are well suited for this.

Preparation of planting material

Heuchera can be grown from seeds or seedlings; the preparation of planting material depends on this:

1. The rhizomes of seedlings obtained by dividing the bush are washed, and the sections of the cuttings are sprinkled with ash and treated with a preparation for root growth.
2. Seedlings purchased in a store are inspected for damage or signs of disease; they should be planted immediately after purchase.
3. Before planting, the seeds are soaked for 2-3 hours in water, then allowed to dry and mixed with river sand before sowing. Usually, growing heuchera from self-collected seeds is not practiced at home.

Planting process

The technology for planting heuchera in open ground is simple and includes several stages:

1. Preparation of planting holes with a diameter of 0.3 m and a depth of the same size.
2. The distance between bushes should be about 30 cm.
3. The seedlings are lowered into the hole by transferring them from the container.
4. Fill the hole with soil and tamp lightly.
5. Each plant is watered abundantly at the root.
6. Mulch the soil around the heuchera with crushed peat, hay or sawdust.

Tips for caring for heuchera

After planting, plants need to be properly cared for:

• the soil should not dry out; for this purpose, the watering regime is strictly observed;
• the ground is constantly loosened and freed from weeds;
• Fertilizers are applied only according to the species;
• heat-loving varieties are prepared for wintering in the fall.

Top dressing

During planting and the first year after, the flower does not need to be fed additionally. Starting from the second year in open ground, fertilizers are applied 2 times during the growing season, dividing the dose recommended by the manufacturer in half.

For those heuchera varieties where the leaves are the decorative part, a complex of mineral fertilizers for deciduous crops is used. Varieties focusing on the beauty of inflorescences are fed with universal mixtures for flowering plants.

Watering

For high-quality growth and flowering, heuchera requires well-moistened soil. However, the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water at the roots, so the soil must drain well.Watering is carried out regularly, at the first signs of drying out, usually once a day. Hot, dry summers can provoke strong evaporation of moisture; in this case, humidification is carried out twice. Water the flowers strictly at the root, avoiding getting on the leaves.

Preparing for winter

After the end of the growing season, heuchera is prepared for future cold weather. Most varieties tolerate winter well without additional action on the part of the gardener. However, to be sure, it is better to prepare a worthwhile defense. Oak leaves work well as shelter. In the spring they are removed, and last year's leaves are cut off at the roots.

An important condition for overwintering heuchera is the preservation of the above-ground part of the plant. Dry leaves help protect the root system from freezing.

Diseases and pests

Heuchera has good immunity, especially if the plants were obtained by microclonal propagation from healthy specimens and went through the necessary stages of rejection. However, unfavorable weather conditions and poor-quality agricultural technology can cause the following problems:

1. Weak roots serve as food for weevil beetle larvae.
2. High humidity stimulates the proliferation of snails and slugs, which damage the leaves of the flower.
3. Heuchera can become infected with powdery mildew, rust, or leaf spot from weeds. Fungicides and Bordeaux mixture are used for treatment.

Breeding methods

There are several ways to propagate heuchera:

• dividing the bush;
• cuttings;
• clonal micropropagation;
• seeds;
• leaf.

The simplest and most common are division and cuttings.

Dividing the bush

The procedure for dividing a plant to obtain seedlings has the following sequence:

1. Heuchera is dug up.
2. Shake off and wash the roots.
3. Divide the plant into 2-3 parts.
4. Cut off dry or damaged leaves.
5. Remove rotten roots.
6. Containers for seedlings are equipped with drainage.
7. Plant the cuttings in a substrate for seedlings.
8. Water the plants at the roots.

Cuttings

Pre-planting heuchera cuttings are carried out as follows:

1. The rosette is cut from the plant along with part of the rhizome.
2. Remove dry and rotten parts.
3. The sections are treated with wood ash.
4. Containers for seedlings are equipped with drainage and filled with soil.
5. Shallow holes are made in the ground.
6. The cuttings are lowered into the ground so that the rosette remains above the ground.
7. Water the seedlings at the roots.

Landscape design

Different varieties are often used in landscape design, as they retain an attractive appearance for a long time and are perennial. The bush is characterized by good compactness and tolerance to other crops. The flower is great for filling a space, camouflaging or highlighting another plant. Heuchera decorates home ponds and fountains, and is used in the design of alpine slides, rock gardens and road borders.