Heuchera 'Red Dragon' Coral Bells

Heuchera 'Red Dragon' is a native evergreen (in warm climates) perennial offering 3 seasons to year-round interest, blooming midsummer. Grown mainly for its stunning, intensely colored foliage, the plant's massive, 5- to 7-inch-wide, heavily textured leaves are burgundy red, with the deepest hues occurring in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. The leaves show a silvery overlay as they expand but become coppery as they finish. Borne on long, 26- to 30-inch, thin red stems, tiny pink buds open to showy sprays of dainty white blossoms that appear to float above the foliage. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and last a long time in floral arrangements.

'Red Dragon' is a Heuchera hybrid, commonly called heuchera, coral bells, or alumroot. An herbaceous plant, it has a medium growth rate and a low, mounding, clumping habit, with mature plants reaching up to 14 inches tall and spreading 26 inches wide. 'Red Dragon' is a versatile plant for garden or container, shown to best effect massed or grouped. It is an excellent edging plant for paths or walkways. Ferns, astilbe, geranium, hakonechloa, and hosta are good companion plants.

Cold hardy and easy to grow, heuchera is virtually care-free. It grows best in a sunny to partially shady location with average to fertile, medium moist, loose, well-draining soil, having a neutral (7.0) to acidic (5.5 and 6.2) pH, but it performs well in most soils. Although heuchera is somewhat drought tolerant once established, its foliage declines in overly dry soil. Consistent moisture is recommended for this shallow-rooted plant, especially if grown in full sun in hot climates, where afternoon shade may also be beneficial. The plant is low maintenance but mulching in late fall helps to moderate soil temperature and prevent heaving, and deadheading faded flowers promotes additional blooms. Remove dead leaves in spring. 'Red Dragon' is salt tolerant.

A native plant, 'Red Dragon' is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.