Guacamole Heuchera

When choosing plants, never overlook green. Just because most plants come in it doesn’t mean it isn’t a color to consider. Particularly, lime-green and greens approaching yellow are among the most useful, because they lift up your garden display without clashing, and they are just as effective in sun or shade. A layer of bright green at the front of your beds brightens them and makes a walk by them all the more inviting. It kills the gloom that dark plants often create, especially in shady parts of your garden. When we can get it in a tough, easy plant, able to grow in all light levels, and a plant that forms a bold carpet along the front of your beds, what’s not to like? The same way pulling a bowl of fresh guacamole out of the fridge makes a party, planting Guacamole Coral Bells in your garden gets things moving. This vigorous evergreen perennial has exceptionally large leaves that look striking in their bold lime-green coloring. It makes a broad, low mound of beauty within a couple of seasons, and asks for nothing. Make your beds dance for joy with this great plant – get big results from a small effort.

Growing Guacamole Coral Bells

Size and Appearance

Guacamole Coral Bells is a broad, low mound of large leaves, standing about 8 inches tall and spreading 1 – 2 feet wide. It is a vigorous grower, and soon fills out, making a bold statement. Although it spreads it isn’t invasive, because the stems simply lie on the ground, and can easily be cut back if needed. The leaves are exceptionally large for a coral bells variety, spreading out between 4 and 5 inches across. They are rounded, with 5 shallow lobes and a slightly waving outline. The leaves are held horizontally, really showing off their sparkling and bold lime-green coloring. They look great in front of darker leaves of shrubs and other perennials, such as dark purple, or against blue leaves, or blending with brighter yellows. Wherever you plant it – that spot will get an instant lift. Lime-green and yellow leaves have a tendency to burn easily in many plants, but this plant has much better resistance to dryness and sun, and stays clean and attractive easily.

From mid-summer on slender flowering stems grow up to as tall as 2 feet. Each one carries about 80 small white blooms that open in succession over several weeks, adding an attractive touch to this great foliage plant, as they wave gently in the breezes.

Using Guacamole Coral Bells in Your Garden

This bold lime splash is perfect for the front of your beds, as an accent or as edging, tying together the collection of plants you have, and making everything look better. It is perfect for those awkward narrow strips where you want something attractive and easy, and it looks great along a path. It is also terrific in natural plantings, among other low-growing perennials, and among rocks and boulders in a rock garden, or on the levels of terracing.

Hardiness

This great plant is hardy in zone 4, yet it takes the heat and humidity of zones 8 and 9 just as easily. In colder zones it may lose a few leaves over winter, but it soon fills in. In most areas it is reliably evergreen and surprisingly tough.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The Guacamole Coral Bells grows across a wide range of light conditions. It grows well in full sun, especially in cooler zones and with good soil moisture. It grows everywhere in partial shade, which is definitely what it prefers, and the morning sun with shade for the rest of the day is perfect. It also grows well, keeping its bright coloring, in light full shade, such as beneath deciduous trees, along the foot of a north wall or fence, or in the shadow of large trees. Although it will certainly grow more vigorously in moist but well-drained soil, it tolerates most garden soils – except wet ones – very well. Acid or alkaline, sands or clays, they are all taken in its stride. Once established it is remarkably drought resistant too.

Maintenance and Pruning

Besides its beauty, the best thing about the Guacamole Coral Bells is how little trouble it is, and how little attention it needs. You can easily pull out the flower stems when they die, for neatness, and that’s about it. It rarely needs old leaves removed – they just shrivel up and become hidden mulch underneath it. You can cut older stems and they will produce several new ones in a short time, keeping it more compact if you need that. Otherwise, this is basically a zero-maintenance plant. Pests and diseases are very rare, and deer usually leave it alone too.

History and Origin of Guacamole Coral Bells

There are around 40 different wild species of Heuchera, the correct name for coral bells, which are also called alum root. They grow mostly in the southwest, and into Mexico, but some grow in the southeast as well. Most of our garden varieties have been developed by keen smaller nurseries around the world. Sandrine and Thierry Delabroye are like that, with a nursery outside the town of Lille, in France. Dedicated to perennials, they have produced many interesting varieties. They keep a large collection of different species and varieties of Heuchera, and collect seeds from them to grow, looking for promising new plants. In 2014 Thierry was checking his beds when he spotted an exciting seedling, with great foliage color. After growing the plant for a while, and checking its performance and reliability, they named it ‘Guacamole’, and took out a US patent on it in 2017.

Buying Guacamole Coral Bells at the Tree Center

Some gardeners pass up green leaves in favor of bright colors. That’s definitely a mistake with this great plant, because those brilliant lime-green leaves are going to work wonders on your garden. Don’t hesitate, order now, because plants like this get snapped up as soon as we post them on our site.