



Aspect
Full sun to full shade
Hardiness
Fully hardy in most parts of the UK.
Flowers
Summer
Soil
Loam, sand
About this plant
Glossy near-black leaves, all year round
-
Description
Heuchera Primo 'Black Pearl' is a striking evergreen perennial grown for its dense mound of glossy, near-black leaves. The scalloped, ruffled foliage has rosy-purple undersides and holds its dramatic colour through the year, making it one of the darkest coral bells available. In early summer, slender wands of small white flowers with pink calyces rise above the leaves. Compact and easy to grow, it works beautifully at the front of a border, as edging, or in a container.
-
Why we like it
Key features
What makes it special
Colourful foliage
Evergreen, year-round interest
Compact, clump-forming habit
WATCH
30 second portraits
Heuchera: year-round colour from foliage alone
Specs & details
The particulars
- Botanical name
- Heuchera Primo 'Black Pearl'
- Common name
- Coral bells
- Supplied as
- 3 litre pot
- Flower colour
- White
- Eventual height
- 25-30cm in leaf (flower stems to around 45cm)
- Eventual spread
- 40-45cm
- Flowering period
- Summer
- Habit
- Compact, mound-forming evergreen perennial
- Life cycle
- Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy in most parts of the UK.
- Aspect
- Full sun to full shade
- Soil type
- Loam, sand
- Moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Position
- Front of border, edging, container
- Plant spacing
- Space around 40cm apart (approximately 6 plants per m²)
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
Plant calendar
When to plant, when it performs
Planting & care
Help it thrive
Planting guide
Plant in spring or autumn into fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Avoid heavy, waterlogged ground. In full sun, make sure the soil stays reliably moist, or choose a spot with some afternoon shade for the best colour. Set plants with the crown level with the soil surface and space around 40cm apart.
Care tips
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially in sunnier spots, as the foliage can scorch or decline if it dries out. Remove faded flower stems after blooming to channel energy into the leaves. Divide congested clumps every three to four years in spring or autumn, and replant any that have lifted out of the soil a little deeper to keep them healthy.
Winter care
Largely evergreen, so leave the foliage in place over winter for protection and interest, then tidy any tatty or frost-damaged leaves in early spring as new growth begins. A winter mulch helps protect the roots, and avoid leaving plants in cold, wet soil. Over time heucheras can lift themselves out of the ground and become woody at the base, so firm them back in or replant a little deeper, and divide every few years.

