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Plant Guide

Brunswick

422 Bath Road
Brunswick, ME 04011
1-800-339-8111
207-442-8111

Falmouth

89 Foreside Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
1-800-244-3860
207-781-3860

Cumberland

201 Gray Rd (Route 100)
Cumberland, ME 04021
1-800-348-8498
207-829-5619

perennial

Fire Alarm Coral Bells

Heuchera 'Fire Alarm'

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Fire Alarm Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Fire Alarm') at Skillins Greenhouse

Fire Alarm Coral Bells

Fire Alarm Coral Bells

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Fire Alarm Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Fire Alarm') at Skillins Greenhouse

Fire Alarm Coral Bells foliage

Fire Alarm Coral Bells foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Fire Alarm Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Fire Alarm') at Skillins Greenhouse

Fire Alarm Coral Bells flowers

Fire Alarm Coral Bells flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  9 inches

Flower Height:  14 inches

Spacing:  12 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  4a

Other Names:  Coralbells, Alumroot

Description:

The reddest foliage in spring turns radiant copper-orange with red veins, returning to red in fall; pink bells in early summer; amazing color addition with great versatility; keep soil moist in heat of summer

Ornamental Features

Fire Alarm Coral Bells features dainty spikes of pink bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage in early summer. Its attractive tomentose lobed leaves emerge crimson in spring, turning orange in color with distinctive dark red veins. The foliage often turns crimson in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Fire Alarm Coral Bells is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Fire Alarm Coral Bells is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Fire Alarm Coral Bells will grow to be about 9 inches tall at maturity extending to 14 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 14 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. However, you may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Fire Alarm Coral Bells is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features