Comments: This is another old fashioned favorite that deserves a spot in the perennial border. Dainty coral colored bells on spikes rise above the attractive mounds of foliage almost all summer long. The spikes make nice additions to bouquets. Although they are somewhat slow to get started, once established they are exceptionally long lived. Smaller, new plants often form around the base of the mother plants and make it easy to increase your supply.
Young plants should be spaced about 12 inches apart. Because they are shallow-rooted, plants may tend to heave upward during freeze-thaw periods in the spring. A winter mulch will help alleviate this problem. Another approach is check plants in the spring and, if necessary, reset them deeper.
Purple Palace (a separate species of Coral Bell) is a beautiful foliage plant. The maple-shaped leaves are a deep shade of purple. Flowers are cream colored. It is a good plant for semi-shaded areas. |
