When is the best time to divide Coral Bells in the northern states? The two in the front bed were originally planted on either side of a very small helleborus under my arbor. All three are now crowding one another and the coral bells need to come out and be divided and replanted so that they have more room to grow.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Well I guess I didn't have mine in the right spot - they came up from last year but never bloomed. Do they require full sun?

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

Coral Bells should be divided in early fall. If you divide your clumps into individual stems you could get quite a patch going. You plunge the woody stems into the ground right up to the new leaves. If you plant them about 6 or 8 inches apart they will by next spring form a solid weed deterring patch and bloom just as well as in established clump.

Yes Carol, Coral Bells do require sun, at least a half day to bloom really well. Also under the name Coral Bells are sold many hybrids and species that are not "hummingbird plants". Most of the ones with exotic colored leaves have eastern parentage and white flowers and are of no interest to hummingbirds. Mine are a really old type that has been passed on here in South Jersey for several generations. It is a rather tall flowerer, around three feet, has beautiful patterned leaves in spring, and to the minds of a few older nectar gardeners has never been improved upon.

Well Ward, I just looked at the tag on my coral bells that I planted last year. They were from High Country Gardens. The name given was: Heuchera sanguinea 'Firefly', zone 3-8, H. 18in., bright red. Apparently I did not have them in enough sun for spring blooming, for when summer extends, the sun hits that garden earlier than it does now. Also, this cultivar may not be the best.

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

The coral bells that I have have mainly green leaves. I have them in pots since I didnt know what to expect from them and most likely not enough sun think I will move into more sun as they have not even begun show any flowering.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

Carol, I bet Firefly is just fine and it is just a matter of finding the right place to grow it.

Carol, I have exactly the same thing from High Country gardens, and it has been blooming its head off all spring and continuing now. I got some video earlier of a little male using it, so it's definitely of interest to the hummingbirds as a nectar source.

I have it in morning sun, from about sunrise to maybe 10 or 11, then dappled shade of a silver maple, and then total shade by 2 or 3 when the sun dips behind the house.

Here's the little guy on 'Firefly.'

Thanks Ward - I will try to move them and see what happens.

Kristin- That is a lovely picture of your 'Firefly', Thanks... I did not have a pic on the tag and was curious as to how it would look. So hopefully mine will not croak on me before I find a better spot...

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

Carol,
They do fine in shade but they just don't bloom as well. Like Kristin's mine is still going strong. It has been blooming since my native columbine but I am not seeing much if any slow down of blooms. I like them so well that I bought two more starter plants this spring. One of those is also blooming like crazy. When I devide mine in the fall, I am going to put them down in front of the bed in front. The two in back are in morning sun like Kristin's and doing equally as well.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

My coral bells have looked this same way for weeks Im beginning to doubt the fact that they are coral bells. I put them in these pots like I said before having my doubts about what they will do and whether I would even keep them or the hummers use them. So are these coral bells why arent they flowering. Shouldnt they be by now? They had only been in afternoon sun but the past week or so its been full sun. I thought they were called "coral bells red" when I bought them but have lost that info now.







Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

I had Coral Bells in afternoon sun for a couple of years and it never did bloom. I moved it to the side of the house which is shade most of the day till the sun starts going down. It bloomed very well this year in the shade

birdlegs
zone 5
S.E. Lower MI.

Sometimes it takes a year or two for coral bells to become well established and bloom. Steve, yours look like one yr. old plants and I wouldn't count on them blooming this year. I have a year old plant and it didn't bloom this year but after I planted it in the ground it has grown considerably. I don't think they like being in pots. They are perennials for us.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39