Heuchera

steve howe

I planted quite a few Heuchera last year, in association with Pulmonarias around the feet of some dogwoods. The  heucheras look pretty poor at the moment (late March) but are alive.

Having not had much to do with these plants in the past I am wondering if it is normal for them to die almost back in winter and re-clothe in Spring? most of mine are variants on Palace Purple, with a few Lime Marmalade. The green ones are looking much healthier than the purple. They are in sunny/dappled shade and moist soil.

Ceres

Check the plants to make sure they are still rooted in the soil. Vine weevil larvae love heucheras and will burrow into the stem just below soil level where they can happily munch through the plant tissue out of sight. The first inkling that all is not well comes when the leaves droop and the plant looks as though it has been on a long run in a stiff wind. My Palace Purples have all suffered this fate this winter but are now recovering in the greenhouse......strip back all leaves apart from a couple at the top of the stem and trim the stem to about two and a half inches then push into a small pot of JI seed compost and wait for the plant to get over the trauma and re-root. My lime heucheras, like yours, look far happier. I'm keeping an eye on them though.

punkdoc

I find that some of my Heucheras, lose their leaves in the winter, but come back strongly in the Spring, whilst others are "evergreen". This can even apply to the same cultivars, planted in the same area.