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Heuchera micrantha diversifolia 'Palace Purple' (Palace Purple Coral Bells) - A clumping perennial that grows to 1 foot tall by up 2 feet wide that is primarily grown for its burgundy purple foliage but does produce 18-inch-tall stalks of white flowers in summer.
Plant in full coastal sun to light shade and irrigate regularly - in the sun the foliage retains its best leaf color. Seems tolerant of many other soil types but dislikes heavy clay soils and alkalinity, so the addition of ample organic material seems beneficial. Very cold hardy and useful down to USDA Zone 4.
Heuchera micrantha diversifolia 'Palace Purple'is a cultivar that originated in England from seed that had been imported from a Botanic Garden in the United States. The name 'Purple Palace' is a reference to the first plants that were grown at the Queen's palace at Kew Gardens. It was first introduced to American gardens in 1986 and was the first Heuchera to be widely grown here for its dramatic foliage. It received the coveted Perennial Plant Association Plant-of-the-Year award in 1991.
In their book "Heuchera and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells" Timber Press 2005 authors Dan Heims and Grahame 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. We grew this plant from 1989 until 2007.
The information displayed on this page about Heuchera micrantha diversifolia 'Palace Purple' is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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