10 Best Varieties of Heuchera

Named for 17th-century German botanist and physician Johann Heinrich von Heucher, the Heuchera species, part of the Saxifragaceae family, has enjoyed a surge of interest as gardeners increasingly rely on ornamental foliage for their landscapes. Also known as coral bells and alum root, this native plant began as a member of the herbal garden but has now taken center stage in the flowerbed. The flowers are small, yet they exert a significant effect on the wildlife in your garden—both butterflies and hummingbirds will visit the nectar-rich blooms in late spring and summer. But the real draw of heuchera plants is the foliage, which can range from pale yellow and orange to red and an exotic silvery blue-gray.

Most heuchera varieties sold today are hybrid crosses of native species, usually including Heuchera americana as one of the genetic parents. Many of these hybrids are unusually flexible in their sun preferences, often tolerating both full sun and full shade. Those with H. americana as a parent are especially good for shady conditions.

Here are 10 great heuchera varieties that could form the beginning of a new collection in your garden.