@nultyphilip224 Nice healthy looking heuchera you have there. Do you have the name? @Fairygirl and @Rubytoo Managed to get to allotment today just to feed the birds and had a good look at my heuchera. Think the strong wind had dried it out a bit but there were no leaves at all and all that remains are the flower stalks! It doesn't seem to have lifted itself out of the soil. Surprisingly the label was still where I had placed it and I now find that it was my favourite one named Sister Theresa which had lovely pink flowers and even when they faded it still looked good. Looking at the picture the leaves would have been quite dark. Do hope I haven't lost it although it is still firmly in place. Will it revive come Spring do you think?
That plant is 'Palace Purple',..i placed it in that spot as the sun throws a beam showing up the purple underleaf,..oh it also produces the pink flowers,..which means seeds and the possibility of a crossbreed appearing come Spring,..if one is lucky.
I have been trying to find your Heuchera on the web......hate to ask, especially as you braved the weather (albeit to firstly feed the birds) it isn't planted next to an Astilbe? Unless it is a very new variety the only plant Sister T is coming up as is that. Which might account for the pale colour, and going into a soggy mound would hide the shape of the leaves and explain why the leaves have completely died down. Sorry if I am wrong, I would not be looking too long or carefully at a relatively small label when it is windy and hissing down with rain. Just if you got muddled labels then good news is it will come up again.
Hi Ruby. You are going to have to educate me! You seem to know so much and it's all new to me learning the names of plants etc. It is an Astilbe according to the label which was with it when purchased! When I google "heuchera sister Theresa" it comes up as the plant I have but I had no idea it was an Astilbe. Are they related or the same plant? I would never have known it wasn't a heuchera as it was exactly the same as my others. Now I am totally confused but I am sure you will be able to explain it all.
Philip - "Palace Purple" was the first heuchera I bought, but now I prefer the slightly lighter one called "Amethyst Mist" which has a "frosted" sheen on the leaves. I have been branching out this year and now have some of the acidy green/yellow ones (names escape me) to brighten a small shady courtyard garden (my OH thinks it looks like lettuce!), a very pretty raspberry pink one and now some of the peachy/reddy ones to tone with a heucherella called "Redstone Falls" and a Spiraea "Goldflame". It's great fun.
Fran - heucheras and astilbes do have similar habits as both form mounds of leaves with flower spikes on top. Both like shady, fairly moist conditions as well, but astilbles will fry in the sun. I don't think they are related plants though.
@Lizzie27 Many thanks for your input. It had plenty of sun in the summer which didn't seem to damage it in any way. Only very recently has it deteriorated. You mustn't mention all these lovely heucheras as I'm a sucker for buying more if I realise I haven't got one! My favourite coloured one which I have is Peach Flambe. Maybe @Rubytoo will be able to enlighten me further.
I am so sorry @Fran IOM for confusing things. I do not know a lot, just searched the name as I was curious to see what it was like. Wonder if somehow the labels got swapped. I have come home with plants thinking I have bought X and it turns out some numpty has shoved the wrong label in the pot at nursery, or moved something out of a row or group.
Philip - "Palace Purple" was the first heuchera I bought, but now I prefer the slightly lighter one called "Amethyst Mist" which has a "frosted" sheen on the leaves.
Snap! PP was our first ever, we still have it, I should also look after it better. Amethyst Mist sounds lovely. Is the "frosting" like fine fuzzy white hairs on the leaves?
I had not appreciated the difference between heuchera and heucherella until recently, looking and paying attention more now you have mentioned them. @nultyphilip224 Nice specimen of PP.
From memory, Heuchera "Palace Purple" was the first one mass produced - I have a feeling that the Queen acquired one for Buckingham Palace and it snowballed from there. There are so many new introductions now, so many shopping decisions! I like them because they are so easy to grow, give colour all year round and have dainty fuss free flowers - what's not to like? Not sure about the frosting effect Rubytoo, will have to get down on my hands and knees (when it's stopped raining) with a magnifying glass.
Palace Purple was indeed one of the most popular dark Heucheras, and became incredibly widely grown. One if it's 'offspring' - Obsidian - is even darker, and glossier.
I'd say Astilbes are really quite different - a mound of quite upright, feathery, toothed foliage, and the flowers are far bigger and frothier. The long spires carrying the flowers are the only similarity, to be honest. They [astilbes] aren't evergreen either. Both great plants for those awkward shady places though, as long as they don't dry out.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Rubytoo@Fairygirl@Lizzie27 Didn't think I would get caught up in all of this! My plant must be an Astilbe as when it was in flower they were totally different to those of the Heuchera. Maybe it will come up again next year but obviously won't be showing any colour for the winter. I didn't realise there were also Heucherellas! Also Tiarellas. You didn't confuse things @Rubytoo in fact you have made things much clearer for me. I have just googled "heuchera heucherella tiarella" and been engrossed in watching videos on utube. (Should probably be doing something more constructive but I think it makes up for not being able to get out to do any gardening). It is well worth watching and I think it must be somewhere in the US. At the end of the first video "she" takes you on a tour of her parent's garden. That is something else! She was very natural and I loved the little cat that followed her everywhere. Thanks for all your input and I have learnt a lot Also I think I have been pronouncing heuchera incorrectly after listening to it?
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Unless it is a very new variety the only plant Sister T is coming up as is that. Which might account for the pale colour, and going into a soggy mound would hide the shape of the leaves and explain why the leaves have completely died down.
Sorry if I am wrong, I would not be looking too long or carefully at a relatively small label when it is windy and hissing down with rain. Just if you got muddled labels then good news is it will come up again.
Now I am totally confused but I am sure you will be able to explain it all.
Fran - heucheras and astilbes do have similar habits as both form mounds of leaves with flower spikes on top. Both like shady, fairly moist conditions as well, but astilbles will fry in the sun. I don't think they are related plants though.
Maybe @Rubytoo will be able to enlighten me further.
Snap! PP was our first ever, we still have it, I should also look after it better.
Amethyst Mist sounds lovely. Is the "frosting" like fine fuzzy white hairs on the leaves?
I had not appreciated the difference between heuchera and heucherella until recently, looking and paying attention more now you have mentioned them.
@nultyphilip224 Nice specimen of PP.
You in heucheraholics yet Lizzie......
Not sure about the frosting effect Rubytoo, will have to get down on my hands and knees (when it's stopped raining) with a magnifying glass.
I'd say Astilbes are really quite different - a mound of quite upright, feathery, toothed foliage, and the flowers are far bigger and frothier. The long spires carrying the flowers are the only similarity, to be honest. They [astilbes] aren't evergreen either.
Both great plants for those awkward shady places though, as long as they don't dry out.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You didn't confuse things @Rubytoo in fact you have made things much clearer for me.
I have just googled "heuchera heucherella tiarella" and been engrossed in watching videos on utube. (Should probably be doing something more constructive but I think it makes up for not being able to get out to do any gardening). It is well worth watching and I think it must be somewhere in the US. At the end of the first video "she" takes you on a tour of her parent's garden. That is something else! She was very natural and I loved the little cat that followed her everywhere. Thanks for all your input and I have learnt a lot