Product Description
Heuchera 'Sultry Night' PPAF CPBRAF - Proven Winners® DOLCE® Series (20)ct Flat
Heuchera 'Sultry Night', a captivating member of the distinguished DOLCE® series, is a must-have for those who appreciate the dense, rounded habits and rich foliage colors of modern Coral Bells. This striking cultivar lives up to its name with intensely ruffled foliage that is a near-black hue, beautifully overlaid with a subtle yet distinct purple sheen. These purple highlights are echoed on the undersides of the leaves and along the stems, adding depth and dimension. The leaves emerge with a glossy finish in spring and retain their rich, deep tones consistently throughout the entire growing season, ensuring continuous visual appeal. 'Sultry Night' boasts short petioles, contributing to its naturally dense and compact habit, making it an excellent choice for front-of-the-border plantings, containers, or for providing dramatic contrast in any shaded landscape.
'Sultry Night' forms a dense, compact, and rounded mound of foliage, reaching a height of 8-10 inches with a spread of 16-20 inches. The leaves are the primary ornamental feature, characterized by their ruffled texture and deep coloration: near-black with a discernible purple overlay. The undersides of the leaves and the stems share these purple highlights. Leaves emerge glossy in spring and maintain their rich, dark tones throughout the season. The petioles (leaf stalks) are short, contributing to the plant's tight, mounding habit. While flowers are not detailed, Heuchera typically produces delicate, bell-shaped flowers on slender scapes, which can be cut for bouquets. This plant is evergreen in mild winter regions and can exhibit similar behavior in colder climates with reliable snow cover.
- Foliage: Ruffled, near-black with a purple overlay; purple highlights on undersides and stems. Leaves emerge glossy and hold rich tones. Dense, compact, mounding habit. Evergreen in mild winters.
- Height: 8.0-10.0 Inches (foliage)
- Spread: 16.0-20.0 Inches
- Growth Rate: Medium.
- Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Bees.
- Critter Resistant: Not explicitly stated as deer or rabbit resistant in this text, but generally Heuchera are known to be.
- Seasonal Interest: Evergreen foliage, attractive fall color.
- Tolerance: Salt tolerant, Juglone resistant (can be planted under Black Walnut trees).
- Other Features: Border plant, container plant, cut foliage, attractive foliage, mass planting, specimen, focal point, easy to grow.
- Hardiness Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Foliage Color: Near-black shades (with purple overlay)
- Sunlight: Full Sun (> 6 hours Direct Sun), Part Shade (4-6 hours Direct Sun), Full Shade (< 4 hours Direct Sun).
- Water Requirements: Average Water Needs
- Soil Quality: Tolerates Poor Soil Quality, Average Soil Quality. Prefers well-drained.
- Soil Chemistry: Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0), Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0)
- Bloomtime: Midsummer (flower color not specified, but typically white/light colored for dark-leaved varieties).
- PPAF: Plant Patent Applied For
- CPBRAF: Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights Applied For
- Trademark: DOLCE® is owned by Walters Gardens, Inc.
While 'Sultry Night' is a cultivated variety, the genus Heuchera is native to various regions of North America, from Mexico to Alaska. They are commonly found in woodland settings, rocky outcroppings, and along streambanks, often in areas with good drainage. This native context underpins their adaptability to various light conditions and their preference for well-drained soils.
Landscaping Design Tips
Heuchera 'Sultry Night' is a sophisticated and highly adaptable perennial that brings dramatic dark foliage and rich texture to various garden styles.
- Front of the Border & Edging: Its dense, compact, and low-mounding habit makes it an exceptional choice for the very front of perennial borders or as a striking edging plant along paths, providing continuous, deep color.
- Dramatic Contrast: Use 'Sultry Night' to create stunning contrasts with lighter-foliaged plants, such as silver Heucheras (like 'Glazed and Infused'), chartreuse Hostas, or variegated sedges. This contrast will make both plants pop.
- Patio Containers: An outstanding selection for containers and mixed planters, where its rich, dark foliage can serve as a dramatic "filler" or "spiller," providing year-round interest and sophisticated color.
- Woodland Shade Gardens: Its preference for shade makes it a natural fit for woodland settings, where its dark leaves can add depth and mystery beneath trees and shrubs.
- Mass Planting: For a powerful visual impact, plant 'Sultry Night' in masses. The collective dark foliage will create a luxurious carpet, especially effective in shaded areas.
- Focal Point & Specimen: Its distinct, near-black, ruffled foliage makes it a captivating focal point in a small garden bed or an elegant specimen plant in a well-placed pot.
- Formal & Eclectic Gardens: The refined dark color and neat habit allow it to fit seamlessly into both formal and eclectic garden designs, providing a touch of drama.
- Under Black Walnut Trees: Due to its resistance to Juglone, the toxin emitted by Black Walnut roots, it's an excellent choice for planting in challenging areas beneath these trees.
- Salt Tolerant Applications: Its salt tolerance makes it useful for landscapes near salted pathways in winter or for coastal gardening.
- Attractive Foliage: The primary appeal is its foliage. Combine it with plants that offer contrasting textures and colors, such as ferns, lighter-colored hostas, or vibrant spring bulbs.
Hardiness
Heuchera 'Sultry Night' is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9. This wide range indicates its ability to withstand cold winters and warmer climates, making it a reliable perennial in many regions. In areas with mild winters, it often remains evergreen, providing year-round foliage interest.
Planting and Cultivation
- Location: 'Sultry Night' is adaptable to various light conditions. It generally performs most vigorously and exhibits the strongest, deepest colors in partial shade (4-6 hours of direct sun), preferably with afternoon shade, which helps maintain foliage intensity and prevents scorching in hotter climates. It can tolerate full sun in northern climates if consistently moist, but foliage colors may fade or become less intense. It will also grow in full shade, though its growth rate will be slower. Crucially, always choose a location with well-drained soil to ensure successful overwintering.
- Soil: Coral Bells prefer well-drained soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. While it can tolerate poor to average soil quality, amending the soil with ample organic matter (such as compost, leaf mold, or peat moss) prior to planting will significantly improve drainage, fertility, and overall plant health. Good drainage is paramount to prevent crown rot, particularly in winter.
- Planting:
- Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and at least twice as wide.
- Gently remove the plant from its container, being careful not to damage the crown.
- Position the plant in the hole so that the crown (the point where the stems meet the roots) is at or just slightly above the soil surface. This is critical for good air circulation and to prevent crown rot.
- Backfill with amended soil, gently tamping down to remove air pockets.
- Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
- Watering: 'Sultry Night' has average water needs. While establishing, provide consistent moisture. Once established, it can tolerate some drier periods, but consistent moisture is preferred, especially in sunnier locations or during hot, dry spells.
- Fertilization: If the soil was amended with organic matter at planting, additional fertilization may not be necessary. If desired, a light application of a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges can be beneficial. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to leggy growth.
- Maintenance:
- Winter Care (Heaving): In northern regions, Heucheras sometimes heave out of the ground due to the freeze/thaw cycle. To prevent this, add an extra layer of compost or well-rotted leaf mold around the plant's base in the fall. In spring, if heaving has occurred, gently push the plant back down, and new roots will grow into the fresh compost layer.
- Foliage Clean-up: As a semi-evergreen, 'Sultry Night' retains much of its foliage through winter. In early spring, if any leaves appear tattered or damaged, shear them off to make way for the vibrant new flush of growth, which will fill in quickly.
- Deadheading: While its primary appeal is foliage, if blooms appear (often insignificant and typically white/light for dark-leaved varieties), deadheading spent flower scapes can tidy the plant's appearance.
- Pests and Diseases: Heucheras are generally easy to grow and relatively pest and disease-free. They are resistant to the toxin Juglone emitted by Black Walnut trees and are salt tolerant.
- Propagation: Can be divided in spring or early fall by carefully separating the crown into smaller sections, ensuring each has roots and a growing point.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
