Heuchera Palace Purple

Description

An evergreen perennial herb, prized for its attractive ornamental foliage, which has a reddish-brown or purplish-red hue that adds a splash of colour to flowerbeds, borders and planters even during the autumn and winter months.

In summer, it produces light, branched racemose inflorescences bearing small pinkish-white flowers that rise above the compact, globular cushion of leaves.

Hardy and easy to grow, it is well suited to cold winter climates and thrives best in light, well-drained soil with good sun exposure in partial shade.

Variety description

Perennial plant with very decorative, almost purple-coloured foliage, it also has little flowering. Plant much used as a border or colourful spot on flowerbeds not exposed to direct sun.

Division

Angiospermae

Class

Dicotyledoneae

Order

Saxifragales

Family

Saxifragaceae

Genus

Heuchera

Species

micrantha

Origin and distribution

A species native to the region stretching from the north-west of the United States to California.

Curiosities and special features

The genus name, Heuchera, is derived from Johann von Heucher, an 18th-century German physician, botanist and expert in medicinal plants.

Lifespan

Perennial evergreen herb.

Where to plant

Versatile in its uses, it is prized for its decorative foliage, which adds a touch of colour and vibrancy even during the coldest months, when many other ornamental plants are dormant, making it ideal for adorning flowerbeds, planters, gardens and parks, as well as outdoor water features.

Plant height

The plant height ranges from 0.25 to 0.35 m, making it ideal for creating single-species compositions, but also for use with other ornamental species as a foreground or background plant, depending on the combinations decided upon before planting.

Leaf

The leaves have ovate or cordate blades, or are slightly lobed andserrated at the edges.

Leaf colour

The plant’s ornamental value stems mainly from its leaves, which are auniformreddish-brown or purplish-red colour.

Flower

The flower is simple in shape, small in size, with a tubular corolla. The petals are a single colour. It flowers from late summer to late winter, with a flowering period of between 90 and 100 days.

Growth

Its globular growth is evident from the dense basal foliage arranged in a rosette.

Habit

It develops a bushy plant habit, making it ideal for creating dense compositions in flowerbeds or borders, resulting in a highly decorative and attractive display – a real focal point in your gardens.

Branching

Its profuse branching gives it a pleasing decorative appearance, with patches of colour amidst the dense, lush foliage.

Use

A versatile plant with decorative foliage, prized and used by hobbyists, gardeners and landscape designers in
outdoor ornamental settings

Ideal climate and temperature

The ideal temperature is between 15 and 21 °C during the growing season.

It is ideal for flowerbeds in areas with cold winters, as it can withstand even frozen soil/mediums.

Soil

A light, well-drained soil/medium provides the ideal conditions for the plant to thrive.

For growing in planters or containers, we recommend a medium for spring-flowering plants containing peat and perlite.

Sun exposure

Sun exposure in partial shade, shade or dappled shade will promote optimal vegetative growth.

The right amount of light ensures a well-branched plant with even growth: excessive light, such as direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, can lead to leaf necrosis with scorched leaf edges; conversely, with too little light, the plant will not branch out properly.

Difficulty

It is easy to grow and maintain, and requireslittle effort to look after.

Hardiness

It has high hardiness, adapting to soil and climate conditions that are not always favourable for other ornamental species.

Growing tips

Some specific cultivation guidelines:
Avoid over-watering Keep the medium consistently moist It prefers a cool climate

Soil preparation

Before transplanting into the flowerbed in mid-spring, do some light digging to remove any weeds and large stones. Then work in a slow-release organic or chemical fertiliser evenly throughout the soil.

pH

It requires a slightly acidic soil/medium pH, between 5.5 and 6.5.

Combinations with other plants

Ideal for creating compact, colourful ornamental compositions when planted in flowerbeds or mixed borders alongside other ornamental plants such asAlchemilla, Anemone, Astilbe, Dicentra spectabilis, Hosta and ferns.

Planting

The healthy growth of each plant in the bed also depends on an appropriate planting density; we therefore recommend an average density of10 plants per square metre in order to achieve a balanced and proportionate composition.

Do not bury the root ball completely when transplanting.

Watering

Use rainwater, or alternatively water from a well or the mains supply, either manually or via a sub-irrigation system.

Keep the growing medium or soil moist but free from waterlogging, which can lead to root rot and the death of the plant.

Do not water the leaves from above, particularly if they are exposed to full sun.

During the autumn and winter months, reduce watering or, if there is sufficient rainfall, stop watering altogether.

Fertilising

From spring to autumn, add a balanced liquid fertilizer to the growing medium or soil/medium, diluting it in the Irrigation water approximately every 20 days.

Take care not to over-fertilize, as the plant is sensitive to excessive fertilizing, particularly when combined with water stress.

Propagation

Propagation can be carried out from seed or by Division of the clumps.