Grow Citronelle Coral Bells, Heuchera villosa and ‘Citronelle’ if you are looking for plants that are easy to take care of, will grow in zones 4 through 9 and will brighten up any landscape.
Stay at Home Mom Loves Growing and Selling
Plants from Home. Look at what She Grows.
This particular plant is in the Coral Bells family and it is spectacular! Extremely bright in color, even when not planted in direct sun.
The “experts” say that this plant is extremely heat tolerant and that very well might be the case. But for me, it did not like full sun. It might tolerate heat, okay, but in full sun it struggled.
Once I moved it to the end of my house where it gets plenty of light, but very little direct sun, it started thriving.
Now, don’t ask me where you can buy because, in all honesty, I don’t really know. I’m sure you can find them online, but locally you may not find this exact variety because . . . it’s a Coral Bells and there are a lot of them.
Many of them, including this one, are patented, which means that only a handful of growers in the country are licensed to grow them and that makes finding them all that more difficult.
However, any bright color Heuchera with yellow leaves will perform pretty much the same as this one. Leaf color might vary a little, but you are really limited by what you can find.
In other words, don’t move heaven and earth to find this exact plant, just find one that you can actually buy that resembles this plant and of course is a Coral Bells.
Stay at Home Mom Loves Growing and Selling
Plants from Home. Look at what She Grows.
I really like the Coral Bells in my landscape because they truly are the most carefree plants I have. All summer long I do little to them.
Pam goes out once a year and removes the spent flower shoots, other than that we don’t touch them. Come fall they go dormant, but really don’t look that different.
Unlike other perennials that completely collapse and dry up at the first sign of frost, Coral Bells don’t do that. They pretty much look the same in the winter as they did at the end of summer.
But come spring you don’t even have to remove the old growth. The new growth Emerges and completely engulfs the entire plant to the point that you can’t even see the old growth. Carefree! That’s what I like.
Carol P Muller says
The deer where I live in Ct. love these plants. I have to make sure I spray them with Deer Off during their growing season.
Darlene says
I have several dozen coral bell plants, all colors available. When they get a woody stem, after about 3 yr. I cut the stem close to the ground, and remove a few leaves off the mother stem, and put it in a pot to grow roots, and that way I increase my plants. Where you cut it off, usually 2 more shoots will come up. I have never killed a coral bells yet, many of mine are in bloom now.
Darlene
Mike says
Darlene,
Believe it or not, if your plant is patented reproducing them is actually against the law. Even if it’s for personal use. I just have to throw that out them so others know.
Bev says
Do you have any of the citronella coral bells to sell? I would love to see if they do well in my yard. Thank You
Mike says
Bev,
I do not, they really need a great deal of shade.
David says
The Citronelle cultivar is available from several sites online. Just do a search for Yellow Coral Bells.
Jerry Sawyer says
Is there a list of un patented Coral Bells that we can use to propagate
Mike says
Jerry,
I think we have a list on this page. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2019/03/non-patented-public-domain-plants-that-you-should-be-free-to-propagate/
Jerry says
Thanks for your response about Coral Bells. I have used the page you recommended many times but there are no lists for Coral Bells. Thanks anyway
Jerry
Mike says
Jerry,
No heuchera on that page? I thought we did that one. If not, we’ll have to when we get a chance.
Rose Mary Flammia says
Hi Mike
Do you sell Coleus and Hostas seeds, if you I would like to purchase some . Please let me know. thank you/.
Mike says
Rose Mary,
I do not but many of our members sell all kinds of seeds and small plants for just a couple dollars each. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Gary says
Will this have a lemon scent to help repel mosquitos?
Mike says
Gary,
No, not that I am aware of.
Patrick says
That would be the citronella Geranimum. They have a stronglemon scent.
Lili says
These plants are one of my favorite. Thanksyou.
Bill says
Mike, you mention patent. How can someone grow and sell these plants? Most plants I see in the nursery’s it’s on the label. Or if you get cuttings from some one who got the plant from a nursery. Thank you Bill.
Mike says
Bill, in my Small Plants, Big Profits from Home I go into great deal about plant patents and what they mean to you as a grower. There’s a lot of information about growing and selling for profit that I just can’t share publicly. That’s why I put together this very detailed system. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
Isabel Blom says
Mike,
Is this related to the lemon scented geranium? It looks just like it
and they are real delicate and at the slighest touch you can smell the lemon.
Please advise me – izzi Texas
Mike says
Isabel,
Not that I am aware of.
Christa Krueger says
That is a beautiful plant, which I have had in my garden for a few years now. Since we don’t have too many coloured perennials, we love the different shades of green and different textures, it makes a unique look.
Ron K. TN says
Love the stay at home Mom story,
Keep up the Great Work of keeping us informed.
RK Tennessee
happyhal says
why don’t you develop a network of growers across the country that hold and grow the plants that you feature. Have noticed that some plants that grow well in your part of the country do not do so well where we average 150 days over 90 degrees and sometimes over a hundred over 100. Also we have milder winters here in Dallas, Tx so we can experience different results from our berries for instance. Have really enjoyed the blog and particularly interested in propagation. you had an excellent article about that a while back, THANKS, happyhal
Mike says
Happy Hal,
There is a network of growers but it’s more on the wholesale level. Duston and I have kicked your idea around, but administering such a network would not be easy to do. It’s still something we like to do.
Maria says
Who sells coral belles citronelle near Flint, MI?
margie says
Mike, I have one of these in my garden in the shade where it does best and I bought it from a company online. To me it’s beautiful along with other colored heucheras and Helleborus plus Astilbes. Oh and hostas, wish I could buy from your area but nobody ships to Reno N.V. Well hopefully some day the shipping in other areas will change and then I could buy and sell. Thanks for all your info. Margie.
Bon Edwards says
Hi Mike,
My husband and I just moved to Burney, CA. which is in the No. Eastern part of California. We are at about 3200 feel and I’m at a loss as to when to plant and WHAT to plant!!! HELP!!
Mike says
Bon,
At 3,200 feet I’m guessing you’re going to be zone 5 or 6, which is pretty much what I am here in Ohio. I might be way off, but find your zone on the map. Zone map for the United States:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Zone map for Canada:
http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml
Renee says
Hi Mike,
I love reading your articles and seeing the new varieties you show us. Do you have these for sale? If so, can I buy them from you or from one of your backyard growers?
Mike says
Catherine,
No, I only sell plants locally at this time, but thanks for asking.
Catherine Lister says
Hi Mike
I am Catherine from Australia. I love the plant you show to me ie Coral Bells Citronelle, Heuchera Citronelle. Can I buy some from you so I can plant in my garden as well as selling some to Australian.
Do you sell the following plants as well:
Graptophyllum excelsum
Shrimp plant
African Mackaya bella
Brazilian Jacobinia
Megakepasma erythrochlamys
Ardisia crenta (coral-berry)
Breynia (snow bush)
Please advise
Best Regards
Catherine