HEUCHERA. Alum root. North America, Mexico. Tightly clumping perennials with round, scalloped or lobed basal leaves. The blooming stems are more or less erect and carry airy clusters of tiny bell shaped blossoms, white to deep red in color. California has heucheras large and small, found from nearly the immediate coast to our high peaks. They are useful in borders, for containers and in some cases, for shady nooks. Most thrive in sun or light shade near the coast, part shade inland, with reasonably well drained soil, and moderate to occasional watering when established. Watch for mealybug! Their hardiness varies.
Canyon Series. A number of years ago, at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the late Dara Emery began to cross H. sanguinea, the coral bells of Arizona, with some of our small mountain natives of the H. rubescens complex (see below). Within a short time, his work produced dozens of beautiful hybrids which combined the dense, small hummocks of the natives with flower colors ranging from white to deep, rosy pink. All have smaller flowers than H. sanguinea, but usually many more of them. The first round of introductions included four selections, all with closely packed, deep green leaves and 6-12" flower stems. We still offer three. 'Blushing Bells' has pale pink blossoms, bleaching to nearly white in hot weather. 'Canyon Delight' offers an incredible wealth of rose-colored flowers, while those of 'Canyon Pink' are bright pink, with lighter centers. After a quiescent period of several years, the Garden released a new round of selections, including perhaps the showiest to date. 'Canyon Duet' is my personal favorite. The plant is as dense and small-leaved as those of the high mountain natives, with dozens of flowering stems per plant. The flowers give a glittering impression with their combination of intense dark rose and white. 'Canyon Melody' is similar, with flowers not as dark. 'Canyon Chimes' has uniformly bright pink flowers. 0oF. or below.
maxima. Island alum root. This is a native of our Channel Islands and one parent of the Rancho Santa Ana hybrids. It has large, long-stalked leaves of dark green with lighter marbling. Its intricately branched clusters of white to light pink flowers rise 1½' to 3' above the foliage. Probably 15oF.
micrantha. The species itself is a common native, usually found on shady cliffs and roadbanks and distinguished by its sharply lobed leaves and exceptionally tiny, slender-stalked blossoms. My own selection from the wild, 'Painted Lady', has leaves beautifully painted with purple and silver-grey and heavily tinted overall with plum purple in winter. The flower stems are purplish red, while the blossoms are white. 'Martha Roderick', one of several horticultural treasures from Mrs. Roderick's garden, is a robust plant with more typical, bright green leaves and tall stems bearing hundreds of rose pink blossoms. 10oF. or less.
'Opal'. A hybrid of H. maxima and H. sanguinea, introduced by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. It has large medium green leaves, 2' stems and great numbers of pink buds opening into nearly white flowers. 15oF. or less.
rubescens complex. There are several similar species in this group. At various times we will have limited quantities of H. elegans, H. hirsutissima and H. rubescens itself. All are matting plants with small, dark green leaves and short (under 1') stems of white to pink flowers. All are delicate in appearance and ideal for the rock garden. 0oF. or less.
'Santa Ana Cardinal'. Another Rancho Santa Ana hybrid combining H. maxima and H. sanguinea. It has large dark, shiny leaves, stems up to 3' high and a profusion of large rose-red blossoms. 15oF. or less.
'Wendy'. The last of our current trio from Rancho Santa Ana, featuring the same parentage as 'Opal' and 'Santa Ana Cardinal'. It has large light green leaves and stems about 2' tall carrying hundreds of light, rather fleshy pink blossoms.