Heuchera are great - lots of color variety for an ever"green".

I had such hopes for potentilla Nana when I got the tiny pot in 2010....
I was glad it was evergreen and glad it flowers most of the gardening season.
I was even glad when it started spreading out onto the sidewalk.
I was less glad when it spread inside the fence.
I was horrified when it proved to be a bully, rambling over and smothering other nice little groundcovers.

Today I did nothing but pull the stuff. It makes dome pretty hefty roots, which I hadn't expected. I got all but a roughly 2x3 foot spot taken out. Ugh. And I KNOW I left some roots for it to come back from. But I will be vigilant and pull the young whorls before they can spread. If you ever want a low growing, evergreen alternative LAWN, this is the plant for you!

Critter, I used to think heuchera would not grow here as we have such harsh conditions but that was when I knew nothing about it other than stats. From what I have earned this year, I think I will have to give it a try. At first I thought it would have to have lots of water & would not tolerate our heat nor our sun but many have spoken of all the differing conditions they grow it in & it grows quite well so it goes on my want list.

I think I shall never try potentilla. I bet it would go bonkers here with no winter to speak of to slow it down.

flaflwrgrl said:I think I shall never try potentilla. I bet it would go bonkers here with no winter to speak of to slow it down.

It seriously would make a good lawn.
I was GOING TO dig it instead of pulling it and take it to a friend whose "grass" where she rents is mostly dandelions and requires mowing. I would have cardboarded the whole yard (small) first, then added topsoil and cinquefoil. But without my truck I can't do that. So I'm pulling the little darlings.

flaflwrgrl said:Critter, I used to think heuchera would not grow here as we have such harsh conditions but that was when I knew nothing about it other than stats. From what I have earned this year, I think I will have to give it a try. At first I thought it would have to have lots of water & would not tolerate our heat nor our sun but many have spoken of all the differing conditions they grow it in & it grows quite well so it goes on my want list.

I think I shall never try potentilla. I bet it would go bonkers here with no winter to speak of to slow it down.

They have a new species of Heuchera called 'villosa' they tolerate more heat. In the database you can pick the ones that look like this.

''Coral Bells (Heuchera villosa 'Beaujolais')''

Anything with Villosa in them will do well in the heat. Not only that but they were semi evergreen for me and did not go dormant. Great winter color.

Thank you Susan!