This showy garden plant produces round, deep purple leaves with a silvery overlay, on a dense, medium size mound; great rust resistance and longevity; excellent for defining border edges with bright, contrasting color.
Northern Exposure Purple Coral Bells is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Northern Exposure Purple Coral Bells is primarily valued in the garden for its distinctive form, with the flower stalks towering over the foliage. It features dainty spikes of pink bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from mid spring to late summer. Its attractive crinkled round leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning deep purple in colour with distinctive black veins and tinges of silver the rest of the year.
Northern Exposure Purple Coral Bells will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 25 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 16 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.
Northern Exposure Purple Coral Bells is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
