Heuchera 'Twist of Lime'

Heuchera 'Twist of Lime': Chartreuse Ruffles Like Bottled Sunlight

'Twist of Lime' is the garnish that ended up stealing the whole drink. Bright chartreuse, heart-shaped leaves with ruffled edges, glowing in light shade. SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Heuchera hybrid
• Common Name: Coral Bells
• Height: 25–30 cm (10–12 in) in leaf; flower stems reach about 50 cm (20 in)
• Spread: 38–40 cm (15–16 in)
• Flowers: Tiny cream bells with chartreuse and red accents, on upright, well-branched stems
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Bright chartreuse to lime-yellow, heart-shaped leaves with ruffled edges that flatten with age
• Plant Patent: USPP 30,618

Where to Plant: Use it to brighten the front of a shade border, a woodland path, or a mixed container, where a few plants in a drift read like a patch of sunlight from across the yard. It generally tolerates black walnut, which is handy in older city yards.

Companion Plants: Plant Cimicifuga 'Chocoholic' at the back, where its pink spikes reach 90 to 120 cm and open from August into October. Brunnera macrophylla brings blue flowers in April and May, giving the bed colour long before the coral bells flower. Tricyrtis hirta carries white flowers in August and September at 60 to 90 cm, a nice late surprise in the shade. Together they cover spring, summer and fall in a spot with shade to partial sun.

Plant Care: Give it light shade or morning sun. Hot afternoon sun can scorch bright leaves like these. Plant in humus-rich, well-drained soil with the crown at soil level, and water regularly through the first season. Wet clay in winter is the main risk, so add compost to heavy soil. Mulch lightly once the ground freezes to reduce frost heaving. Cut off spent flower stems and trim winter-tattered leaves in early spring. Divide in spring every few years when the crown gets woody.

History: Hans A. Hansen bred 'Twist of Lime' at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a cross made in 2013. One parent traces back to 'Mocha' and Heuchera rubescens of the western United States, and the other is Heuchera americana 'Malachite', from a species native to eastern North America, including southern Ontario.

Final Thoughts: Drop it next to a dark coral bells and let the contrast do the mixing. Deer won't order it. THIS ROUND IS ON THE SHADE GARDEN.