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| I am a big fan of purple-leaf heucheras. What is new out there that I might have missed? Do you have a favorite? These are such great foliage plants. Would love to try some new ones. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Mon, Jun 20, 11 at 22:02
| There's a couple of new Terra Nova intros I really like - 'Berry Marmalade' and 'Cajun Fire'. The first is a big, robust plant with not many flowers - definitely foliage first :-) The second goes through some seasonal color changes that are pretty interesting -- red (spring) to purple (summer) to maroon (fall/winter). Both are more reddish-winey in color than dark purple but still extremely attractive plants. For purple-purple, it's hard to beat 'Obsidian'. |
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| I bought several "Guardian Angel" last year at a going out of business sale. They looked a quiet burgundy purple with silver markings. But then this spring, Wow! New leaves emerged a brilliant purple. Almost like that fuzzy purple houseplant whose name I forget. Silver markings are very distinct. I have a LOT of heuchera, and the contrast between the silver and the base color on these is much more distinct on these than on any others I have. Leaves when mature are not as bright purple, but they are still a very rich saturated color. |
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| My favorite purple is 'Sugar Plum'. Karen |
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| I've bought many new pink/red/purple varieties during last 3 years. So far, the good performers and nice looking cultivars are: Stormy Seas Too early to comment on performance, but nice looking ones: Berry Smoothie overwintered just fine. Bought more this year. Just ordered and did not receive yet: And finally, the variety that can be easily overlooked: 'Binoche'. I bought it at the local Home Depot. Online pictures do not do any justice. The plant is stunning! Very large and very dark leaves. Would look fantastic with smaller Heucheras and Hostas. |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Tue, Jun 21, 11 at 11:56
| I really like my 'Midnight Rose' |
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| BTW, does anyone know an online source for 'Cajun Fire'? Can't find it. |
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| This is a great list--thanks a lot, everyone. I see I will have to go shopping very soon.... My best performer thru all kinds of winters for a number of years has been Amethyst Mist. The color of Plum Pudding is really outstanding with purple-pink or lavender flowers as companions. And Purple Petticoats has a great leaf shape, tho it has not been as vigorous as I would like. Maybe it's the spot they are in. |
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| I don't know, but Sugar Plum in April (picture taken 4-30-11) when it's putting out new growth sure looks more purple to me than any of my other "purples":
Of course now it is not so purple, having more of the silver overlay than it did when it woke up in the spring, but to my eye (and the photo is pretty close to true) this is as close as one can get to true purple on a heuchera. Karen |
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| A couple of people alluded already to my point: a heuchera has to pass a two year test for a rating. Some fade away, some die outright, and some just look crappy in spring and never really improve. So I might buy a new one cause it is beautiful, but ask me again at the end of the first summer and then a year later if it is still alive and looking good. My #pick for surviving in a pot, in a crack of soil and in the garden is "Stormy Seas." Harder to find now that so many other purple fashionistas are on the streets, but that is one rugged plant. Marie |
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| I agree, a two year test is helpful. The four varieties I listed in the first part of my post passed it for sure. They return strong each year. One of the new varieties I liked last year was Hercules (not purple). It has a white variegation which contrasts nicely with scarlet red blooms. Well, this cultivar is as weak as most of the light colored Heucheras... That picture of Sugar Plum is definitely not true to color - the entire picture has too much blue. Sugar Plum is silvery rose or pink in my garden. No blue overtones at all. New growth is rather burgundy. |
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| On the other hand, Fire Chief and Berry Smoothie are not purple either. They both have rose/burgundy colors. |
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| Midnight Bayou in the first year is outstanding in coloring. As to returns Came back strong in Zone 4 Midnight Rose Plum Pudding Berry Smoothie Silver Scrolls Amethyst Mist Rave On - This is stunning for both Color and blooms. Blooms and reblooms most of the summer. Suggest a group of three as Rave On is not common. I'm trying Paris with Rave On to see the results as Paris is supposed to be a rebloomer as well. |
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| I don't use Miracle Gro on perennials--just annuals--but I accidentally discovered that it kept some heucheras blooming non-stop one summer. They were next to some annuals and got the leftover solution. Actually, I don't like the flowers on heucheras so this was not necessarily a good thing.... |
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| I don't like heuchera flowers, either. I cut them off as soon as I see them. As far as purple and silvery cultivars or whatever you want to lump them as, "Plum Pudding" is an outstanding performer for me, a strong grower that keeps rich coloration all season. "Silver Scrolls" has also done exceptionally well over the years. "Midnight Rose" are going into their third season with me. Still performing well - holding their own in a less than optimal spot. Truthfully, I don't love the coloration; it's okay, but nothing I want to jump up and down about - I jump up and down regarding the fact that a heuchera actually does well for me, though, so... I need a couple more fillers, so I'm watching this thread for ideas. :0) |
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| Midnight Bayou in the first year is outstanding in coloring. As to returns Came back strong in Zone 4 Midnight Rose Plum Pudding Berry Smoothie Silver Scrolls Amethyst Mist Rave On - This is stunning for both Color and blooms. Blooms and reblooms most of the summer. Suggest a group as Rave On is not common. |
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| SOME heuchera flowers are nice! Regina and Miracle, for fancy foliage types, both have very nice light pink flowers. |
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| Are Midnight Rose and Obsidian related? I bought 4 Obsidian last fall. Now, one is developing coloration a lot like Midnight Rose. Leaf shape is about the same. The tags were glued on, so they could not have been switched. |
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| Just got back from a nursery with Dark Secret. Good purple leaves and very ruffled. Online photos show some bronzing, which I don't like, but the plant I bought doesn't have any at this point. It's a hybrid of Obsidian, Frosted Violet and Crimson Curls, and it's a very attractive plant. I'm going to put it in a Victorian urn--then in the ground in the fall. |
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| Did anyone see: Fan Burgundy or Dolce Licorice? The purples are outstanding. |
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| I just bought 'obsidian'. Saw it at a local nursery and immediately fell in love and had to have it. Such dark purple color.... amazing |
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| FYI when this post started GW did not have a Heuchera Forum. There is one now if anyone wants to look at what some are finding now. They have made so many improvements to make these plants hardy. Unlike the one year expensive annuals they use to be. |
Here is a link that might be useful: HEUCHERA FORUM
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