These Dragon-Inspired Heucheras Bring a Touch of Fantasy to the Winter Garden – With Fiery Foliage That Lasts All Year
The new Fyre Wing series of heuchera will light up borders or pots – drama is guaranteed
Just because the days are getting shorter and temperatures are dropping, it doesn’t mean you can’t still have a colorful, textural garden.
I have been on a quest for winter garden ideas and found some special heucheras that are guaranteed to impress. The new Terra Nova heuchera Fyre Wing series is inspired by dragon lore and features deep, rich foliage and unique serrated foliage like dragon wings.
If you want something different for year-round color and a plant sure to become a talking point in your garden, any of the seven new heuchera varieties in the line tick all the right boxes. Of all of them, I am a fan of the heuchera Fyre Wing ‘Heliodor’ (available at Plant Addicts) with lime-green foliage tinted with orange when young. The foliage appears to glow and will remain evergreen in milder climates.
What Are Heuchera Fyre Wing Plants
Heuchera, also known as coral bells, makes a great winter plant for pots and borders. The gorgeous perennial plants are suited to a wide variety of climates, from USDA hardiness zones 4-9
When planning a winter garden, some of the best plants have vibrant foliage year-round for interest and structure. Plants like heuchera, winter heather, ophiopogon, and bergenia tick all those boxes.
Heuchera are evergreen in milder climates and semi-evergreen in colder areas. The wide palette of foliage makes heuchera so popular. The color spectrum runs from neon green to warm peach to almost black, with varieties like Heuchera 'Caramel' (available at Nature Hills) and Heuchera 'Palace Purple' among the most popular.
The foliage of different heucheras can be smooth, ruffled, lacy, or hand-shaped. However, the Terra Nova heuchera Fyre Wing series has been bred to showcase a new, unique foliage form. This sets it apart from others and will really stand out in any garden.
The series is a range inspired by dragon lore and precious gemstones. Each has foliage that echoes its namesake gem and unfurls like finely laced dragon wings.
Speaking about the heuchera Fyre Wing series, Chuck Pavlich, director of new product development at Terra Nova Nurseries, claims the series has a ‘one in a million quality’. He said upon release: ‘The deeply cut, lace-like foliage creates a level of texture and dimension that hasn't existed until now.’
How to Use Fyre Wing Plants
The seven varieties in the Terra Nova heuchera Fyre Wing series range in shade from the lime green ‘Heliodor’ to the black ‘Jet’.
There is likely a plant to match any garden style or planting scheme. The emerald-green ‘Jadeite’ (get a Fyre Wing Jadeite Heuchera at Plant Addicts) will freshen up mixed plantings, while the purple-bronze ‘Spinel’ can provide real contrast against brighter colors or white blooms in flower beds or containers.
In seasonal plantings, the rich golden ‘Amber’ and the copper of ‘Hematite’ (get a Fyre Wing Hematite Heuchera at Plant Addicts) complement existing fall color around the yard and work well with the blue, burgundy, or cream blooms of winter-flowering violas, pansies, or primroses.
Each in the Fyre Wing series features the eye-catching, deeply cut, dragon wing-like foliage, with many leaf colors developing over the season. The plants suit zones 4-9, can grow in sun or part-shade, and range from 7-11 inches tall and 12-14 inches wide, depending on the variety.
This makes them suitable for beds, borders, or growing coral bells in pots. If you are looking to add a bit of magic to your yard, these dramatic heucheras are guaranteed to do just that. Plant them along the edges of flower beds for drama, or as focal pieces in a large container or planter. You can rely on them to put on a show year-round and attract the attention of guests.
If you're after a bit of magic or lore in your yard, each variety in the Fyre Wing range comes with a birth certificate detailing the dragon’s provenance and claw print illustrations which are indicative of the foliage and the gemstone.
This added depth and mythology, along with the rare textural foliage, can support other enchanting backyard spaces, such as fairy gardens or the moonlighting trend that creates a magical feel when the sun goes down. Imagine some subtle lighting showcasing the dragon wing foliage on a darker evening.
Shop the Terra Nova Heuchera Fyre Wing Series
'Amber' starts with pure amber foliage in spring, which turns copper by early summer, and then deepens to burnished copper-umber in fall. It reaches 11 inches tall and 12 inches wide and has fine white flowers in May and June.
'Jet' combines black foliage with fine silver hairs for a dramatic, reflective appearance unlike any other heuchera. The compact plant reaches 7 inches tall and 10 inches wide, and light pink blooms appear of reddish stems in late spring and early summer.
'Spinel' is a densely-packed plant with deeply cut foliage in layered tones of purple-bronze with hints of red and silver. It grows to 7 inches tall and 14 inches wide and can be used as a dramatic centerpiece or edging along a bed or container.
By carefully curating your garden with unique plants that offer vibrant color and interesting visuals year-round, you can have a beautiful space throughout the colder months.
A key part of maintaining heucheras or coral bells (whatever you prefer to call them) is knowing when to trim them each season.
As evergreen plants, pruning them in the fall robs you of any winter color. Fall trimming also exposes the tender crown to frost. The take-home message is to never cut back coral bells in the fall; instead, always do it in spring. Enjoy the plant’s winter color and texture, and add the task to your spring gardening checklist.
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