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Heuchera 'Caramel' PP16,560 (Caramel Coral Bells) - A uniquely colored Coral Bells that forms a foliage clump to about 10 inches tall with cordate-shaped scalloped leaves that emerge a grayish-orange and mature to golden yellow green. The flowers, which we have not seen (and supposedly rarely make their appearance), are reportedly very small light pink on 18-inch-tall stalks in early summer (July at the Missouri Botanic Garden) and might best be removed as it is the foliage of this plant that is the main attraction.
Plant in full coastal sun to part shade in an amended well-drained soil. The foliage color is best with some bright light but may require afternoon shade in hotter climates. Irrigate occasionally to regularly - more drought tolerant in shade. A hardy plant that is rated to USDA Zone 4 (-30 °F). It is a vigorous growing plant that should prove a great plant for adding an unusual foliage color within the landscape with parentage that indicates it should provide good tolerance to heat and humidity.
In their book "Heuchera and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells" Timber Press 2005 authors Dan Heims and Grahame Ware note that Linnaeus named Heuchera for Johann Heinrich von Heucher, professor of medicine and Botany at Wittenberg University and that the name Heuchera should be pronounced following this person's name that it commemorates, meaning it so be pronounced HOY-ker-uh, but like most people, we continue to pronounce it HUE-ker-ah.
Heuchera 'Caramel' is sometimes listed as Heuchera villosa 'Caramel' but it likely is a hybrid as it was a chance seedling found in 2002 in a cultivated bed at Pepinieres Delabroye, the nursery of Thierry and Sandrine Delabroye in Hantay, France. There is speculation that one parent was Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Pride' based on the proximity of crops of this plant to the seedling found and shared characteristics that it has. It is also noted to be similar to Heuchera 'Amber Waves' but differs in having fewer ruffles in the foliage and being a more vigorous plant with better sun tolerance. This plant received US Plant patent PP16,560 in May 2006 and we grew and sold it from 2009 until 2023.
This information about Heuchera 'Caramel' PP16,560 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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