Heuchera sanguinea

‘Firefly’

FIREFLY CORAL BELLS

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’
FIREFLY CORAL BELLS

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ is a richly coloured version of the old-fashioned, much loved, tough old Coral Bells.

Firefly red spires of bell shaped flowers

The “sanguinea” part of the name means “blood red”, and it is very apt for ‘Firefly’.
The flower spires are rich, deep, glowing berry red, instead of the usual rather washed out coral pink.
Much brighter and richer red than the old Coral Bells, and the tiny bells are fine and dainty, but in profusion.
Otherwise it is just as tough and adorable a plant as the old original. 

Swarm of tiny bells

The flower spires of Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ are very lushly covered with the tiny, fine bell flowers, so it really does look like a swarm of Fireflies when it is in bloom.
Spires soar to 45cm. above the neat foliage clump.

Sweetly fragrant

The blooms of Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ also emit a sweet fragrance, which is such a pleasure in both garden and vase.

Long blooming in spring & early summer

While the foliage mounds are a garden asset all year round, a swarm of colour erupts in mid spring and continues into early summer.
Deadheading will also bring a further flush of flowers for late summer-autumn.
But if you cant be bothered the plant will not mind – they are very low maintenance.

Foliage just as lovely as the flowers

However all the Coral Bells are old favourites for their attractive, evergreen foliage clumps, as much as for their generous mists of flowers.
Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ forms evergreen, permanent, neat clumps of scalloped, heart shaped leaves of fresh lettuce green shades.
Makes a foliage mound approx. 20cm. High x 30cm. Wide.

Thrives in shade or part shade under trees & shrubs

Heuchera sanguinea is a traditional plant to use in the shade under big trees and shrubs.
It loves the mulch and leaf litter from the trees.

Old favourite on duty for decades

Coral Bells can be found thriving in old Victorian gardens, where they were favourite for edging shady paths, fronting a border, or mass planted as an attractive groundcover under the large trees.
Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ is a long-lived perennial and does garden duty for decades.

Lovely cut flowers with a sweet scent

Cut the spires of ‘Firefly’ to fill vases indoors, or use their fine, airy appearance as a great filler between larger vase blooms.
‘Firefly’ plants bloom abundantly – so you can cut lots (and cutting stems either for floristry or deadheading promotes repeats and a longer blooming season into autumn too).

Handy for florists

The stems are long and bare of leaves, so they are quick to prepare for floral arrangements.

Treat for bees, pollinators & native birds

Our native Honey-Eater birds love nothing better than dangling on the flower stems and sipping from the bells.
While the bees and other pollinators flock to the nectar rich spires.

Tough old favourite

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ is so easy to grow.
Plants are cold, frost and salt tolerant.
They perform well, particularly if they have soil enhanced with mulch or compost.
And they love fertilizer, so feed in spring and summer for really lush, beautiful foliage and prolific flowers.
They can cope with gravel, rocky or sandy soils, but they hate waterlogged clay (they rot out).
Brilliant in pots, and can often be seen displayed in urns in historic gardens – charming.

Divide & multiply

Heuchera sanguinea was no doubt also popular with old gardeners because it is so easy to dig up and divide and move around the garden – so it was so easy to form an edge or a mass planting of this tough old favourite.

Some resistance to deer and rabbits 

While no plant is completely immune to a ravenous marauder – Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ is low on their menu list.

Long lived evergreen perennial

Flower spires 45-60cm. High massed with finest bells x evergreen luminous foliage mound approx. 20cm. High x 30cm. Wide.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Suitable for beginners & kids

Seeds of Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ are very easy and reliable to germinate. 

Sow at any time indoors in punnets, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided.
OR
Scatter directly in the garden during spring.

Sowing Tip: Very fine seeds – So first sieve a handful seed raising mix and fill the seed bag with the fine mix. Shake well, then sow all the contents of the bag. This will spread the fine seed evenly and make it really easy to sow.

Sow indoors for quicker and maximum germination: First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then just lightly pat the seeds to the surface of the mix, but do not bury.
Because these seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath.
And allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then drain and place the punnet in a warm, well-lit position (with good light but no direct sunlight).

Temperatures of 20-22°C approx. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a heat mat to maintain suitable warmth.

Continue to keep the punnet consistently moist by regularly misting the punnet from a spray water bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic cover will help to maintain necessary consistent moisture.

Seeds germinate in approx. 10-20 days.

Once the seedlings have developed their first true leaves, prick out of the punnet into small pots and grow on until planting out into the garden.

Seed Count: 500 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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