Heuchera Sloeberry

Heuchera 'Sloeberry' is a new heuchera from the 'Indian Summer' series, which brings together vigorous and bushy heucheras with remarkably colourful foliage even in winter. This one displays beautiful silvery shades throughout the growing season, with its veined leaves subtly washed with purple being particularly light in spring, and becoming more purple in autumn. This lovely perennial comes to life in summer with spikes of flowers that change from pink to white, adding incredible lightness to bouquets. Its evergreen foliage with magnificent colours will create highly ornamental pots throughout the year.

The 'Sloeberry' Heuchera belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. This excellent small garden perennial is a complex horticultural hybrid that has genes from Heuchera villosa, native to the mountains of the eastern United States, as well as from its cousins Heuchera micrantha and H. sanguinea. It will reach about 30-35cm (12-14in) in height for the foliage and 40cm (16in) in width in 4 to 5 years. This Heuchera forms a dense mound of leaves. The foliage is the plant's first asset: its leaves, evergreen in winter, are round and lobed and are born almost entirely silver. At maturity, they are a grey-silver colour with purple highlights, and dark purple veins. In autumn, the foliage becomes almost purple due to the cold. The leaves of this Heuchera have strong veins and a red-purple underside. The light and airy flowering takes place in June-July. The flowers, small bells that are pink when they open and then turn white-pink, are arranged along an erect purple stem, 45-50cm (18-20in) high, held above the cushion of leaves. This plant has a shallow root system.

The 'Sloeberry' Heuchera deserves a prime spot in the garden, along a sunny path or in a partially shaded and cool rockery, not far from a pathway for maximum enjoyment. It also adapts perfectly to container gardening. When planted along a border, this Heuchera will bring a touch of mystery and poetry to the garden. In partial shade or shade, for example, pair it with hostas, Carex, and painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Red Beauty) for a wild effect. In a sunnier rockery, place a dark mulch at its base to contrast with its beautiful foliage and combine it with Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, which has small bright blue flowers and dazzling autumn foliage. Finally, it makes an ideal ground cover with remarkable colours. Pair this Heuchera with the 'Creme Brulee' cultivar or with blue or pink flowers, forget-me-nots, corydalis, or lungworts. A great cut flower, the delicate bells of this plant bring a lot of lightness to bouquets.