Companion Plants II – Heucheras
You don't see companion plants at first. The trees and
bushes are noticed when you turn a corner or look over your shoulder.
It's when you walk to the edge of a bed that you point and say “Hey,
look at that!”
Your first thought when “companion plants” are
mentioned is Hosta. Your second thought: Ferns. If there is a third
thought let me suggest it be: Heucheras. Heucheras can scurry around
between their larger neighbors, filling in gaps with different colors
and forms. It must be considered a foliage plant as its flowers are
so inconspicuous that you have to be a true heuchera fanatic to care.
The above are companion plants for azaleas and
rhododendrons because they enjoy the same acid soil/dappled shade
conditions and are unlikely to damage the dominant plants when
sharing a bed. I would keep them outside the dripline of each
azalea, but if they snuggle closer then a problem is unlikely.
I'll mention some I grow and let you chase down their
pictures on the net as there is limited space here for their formal
portraits. They don't all love my garden conditions and some
struggle, smiling weakly like a fat guy shuffling through a marathon,
saying they're fine when they're not.
While heucheras grow worldwide, the US has two distinct
regions which support different types. In the southeast, acidic
clay-loam soils easily support the native Villosa type. The rockier
alkaline soils of the west are home to smaller leafed plants. I've
only managed to kill a few heucheras in my Northern Virginia garden,
but they've all been among the small leafed, less aggressive
varieties. They had put on a brave face for a short time but
couldn't fake it forever.
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| Citronelle |
Growing well and outlining borders is the light green
'Citronelle' and the darker, tan-purple-green 'Caramel'.
'Citronelle' provides a bright contrast to the darker green
surroundings of azaleas, trees and grass. 'Caramel' comes up a light
tan in the spring with a purple underleaf which, like Marilyn
Monroe's legs, displays in a wind gust. 'Caramel' turns greenish as
the summer kicks into its hot gear. 'Obsidian' covers the other end
of the dynamic range of light, a purple so dark it often looks black.
A lighter purple is 'Palace Purple', a strong grower needing to be
planted with space to stretch before elbowing into its neighbors.
New to me is 'Dark Secret', a very dark purple with strongly ruffled
edges. It might turn into a focal point in its bed. 'Southern
Comfort' is a large leafed plant that seems really happy to be here,
emerging reddish in the spring, changing to green with hints of tan.
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| Midnight Rose |
New to my garden last year was 'Midnight Rose' which
has an unusual leaf. One of those plants that needs to be looked at
closely: the dark purple leaf is streaked everywhere with light
purple veining. An unusual combination. 'Tiramisu' was also new,
coming up a bright tan and later turning green. Both of these plants
were growing strongly by the end of the year.
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| Tiramisu |
Struggling ones I believe would be happier out west:
'Silver Scrolls' and 'Snow Angel', though if I had a sunnier location
for them and a more neutral soil they might consent to thrive.
Several very reddish heucheras have gone on to plant heaven, also
known as the compost pile. 'Georgia Peach' comes to mind. Maybe it
also needed more sun.
Related to heucheras are Tiarellas. Advertised as
“Foam Flowers”, the floral display briefly looks good, but their
foliage is inferior to that of heucheras. 'Running Tapestry' does
exactly that, running around the garden and invading other's space.
I haven't torn it out but I might put it in prison.
Heucheras have been bred with Tiarellas to create
Heucherellas, recently given the name “Foamy Bells.”
Unnecessarily confusing, but I don't sell plants. Maybe the
confusion is commercial genius. Two that are doing well for me are
'Sweet Tea' and 'Alabama Sunrise'. 'Sweet Tea' has that familiar tan
cast to its green base and 'Alabama Sunrise' is more greenish-yellow
than anything else, but they both grow well.
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| Kassandra |
I am looking forward to the emergence of 'Kassandra',
which I planted late last year and now shows tan leaves with
excessively ruffled reddish-purple edges. Sometimes “excessive”
is just enough.
While you don't want a full bed of these uncommon
plants, heucheras are great for contrast against the more pedestrian
and dominant elements of your garden. Both for their coloring and
leaf forms, they will draw you in for a closer look where you'll
point and say “Hey, look at that!”
[ I bought and learned a lot from 'Heuchera, Tiarella
and Heucherella, A gardener's guide, by Charles and Martha Oliver, B
T Batsford Ltd., London, 2006 ]
