Coral Bells (Heuchera) are some of my favorite semi-evergreen perennials. Between those dainty, bell-shaped flowers and that stunning colorful foliage, they really bring a garden to life. They belong to the Saxifrage family and are actually native to North American woodlands, so they feel right at home in many of our backyards. If you love them as much as I do, you’ll be happy to know they’re actually pretty easy to propagate!
Propagating Coral Bells
There are a few different ways you can grow your collection:
- By division
- Using stem cuttings
- From seed
Division
Once your Coral Bells have finished blooming, it’s the perfect time to divide them. Start by carefully digging up the plant and gently shaking off the excess soil by hand. Then, use a spade or a sharp garden knife to split the root ball into two or more sections. Just make sure every piece has a good set of roots attached! Once you’re done, go ahead and plant your new divisions in their new spots.
Propagation by Stem Cuttings
In the spring, once the plant is showing plenty of new growth, you can take stem cuttings. Here’s how you do it:
- Snip off healthy shoot tips that are about 4 to 6 inches long.
- Strip off the lower leaves.
- Fill a starter tray or pot with a good potting mix.
- Stick the cuttings into the soil.
- Give the soil a nice drink of water.
- To create a little mini-greenhouse effect, pop a plastic bag over the pot.
- Place the tray in a bright spot (but out of direct, scorching sun).
- Make sure to air it out daily so you don’t run into mold issues.
- Keep the soil moist as needed.
After about 6 weeks, your cuttings should start developing roots—you’ll know it’s working when you see new growth popping up! Once the young plants are about 6 inches tall, they’re ready to head out into the garden. Even though Coral Bells are quite winter-hardy, I recommend giving these “babies” a little extra protection with some evergreen branches during their first winter.
Growing from Seed
Propagating Coral Bells from seed isn’t as common because it takes a bit more effort. Plus, if you’re looking for a specific variety to come true to seed, it really only works reliably with ‘Palace Purple’ (Heuchera micrantha). You can start these indoors on a windowsill as early as February. Just fill a seed tray with starter mix and sprinkle the seeds on top, covering them with only a very thin layer of soil. Keep the tray in a bright spot and use a spray bottle to keep the soil consistently moist. You should see sprouts in about three weeks. Once the seedlings reach about 6 inches, they can be moved outdoors. Just remember: they love nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. Most varieties enjoy the sun, but if you have a light-leaved variety, they’ll appreciate a bit of afternoon shade!
