Heuchera ‘Santa Ana Cardinal’ is a historic hybrid of Heuchera maxima (California Channel Islands) and H. sanguinea (southwestern United States and Mexico), developed by Dr. Lee Lenz at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (now California Botanic Garden) and introduced in 1958. This evergreen perennial combines the large, glossy foliage and shade tolerance of H. maxima with the bright red flowers of H. sanguinea.
Habit & Size: Forms dense mounds of shiny, dark green foliage 1–2 feet tall and wide. In spring and summer, plants produce 2-foot flower stalks bearing numerous cherry-red flowers that attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Cultural Requirements: Performs best in part sun to full shade, with tolerance for full sun in cooler coastal climates. Adapted to regular or occasional irrigation and capable of growing in dry shade once established. Particularly valuable as an understory planting beneath established trees, where it provides year-round evergreen foliage in sites that are often difficult to plant successfully.
Landscape Uses: An excellent choice for planting under coast live oaks, valley oaks, and other mature trees. Useful in woodland gardens, shaded borders, dry shade gardens, oak woodland plantings, low-water landscapes, habitat plantings, and other understory applications.
Identification Note: Distinguished by its combination of large glossy foliage inherited from Heuchera maxima and abundant cherry-red flowers inherited from H. sanguinea. One of the earliest and most successful California-bred coral bells hybrids, it remains particularly useful for dry shade and understory plantings throughout Southern California.
Pests and Cultural Considerations: Generally low maintenance. Mealybugs may occasionally occur, particularly in nursery production or densely planted situations. Slugs and snails can damage new growth in moist, shaded environments. Crown and root rot may develop in poorly drained soils or under prolonged wet conditions. Best performance is achieved with good drainage and adequate air circulation.
- Common Name:
- Santa Ana Cardinal Coral Bells
- Mature Height:
- 12-18"
- Mature Spread:
- 1-2'
- Exposure:
- Part Sun/Shade
- Growth:
- Evergreen
- Flower Color:
- Red
