November 21, 2024 – Written by Chuck Pavlich
Chuck Pavlich, Director of New Product Development with TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, sees sales ticking upward for heuchera that perform in multiple ways. According to him this is due to the ongoing changeable foliage colors trend, which is particularly prevalent among US clients. “If one can have a plant that looks different three or four times a year, that is a built-in bonus. We have good acceptance and repeat orders for most of our ‘changeables’,” says Pavlich. TERRA NOVA® currently promotes its color-changing heuchera varieties for all seasons, highlighting their colors, vigor and overall performances.
Heuchera ‘Champagne’ as a starting point
He thinks he first noticed the trend in 2015-2016 when TERRA NOVA®’s Heuchera ‘Champagne’ was introduced, a variety bred by Janet Egger. Pavlich: “It was the first time we saw interest in having a heuchera that was noted for changing colors throughout the year. I think first people approached it as a novelty, something different. Later they also saw the advantage of having multiple colors emerging from one plant. I think ‘Champagne’s’ popularity grew from there, however if I could explain fashion, I would be a rich man.” He adds that TERRA NOVA® heuchera are frequently the anchor of a mixed container program.
TERRA NOVA®’s Chameleon plants
In response to this demand for changeable foliage colors TERRA NOVA® has bred more chameleon plants in the last several years. In 2023-2024, they introduced the Heuchera ‘Changeling’ and Heuchera ‘Peach Smoothie’. Their range also includes the Heuchera ‘Rio’ and Heuchera ‘Spellbound’, both introduced in 2013-2014. According to Pavlich, ‘Changeling’ is particularly popular. “Each hybrid has a complex and long pedigree. We’ve been breeding for more than three decades and building on our own successes, not relying on copycat breeding. Each plant was selected for its overall performance, trialed at TERRA NOVA® and observed by a discriminating group for every season,” comments Pavlich.
More to come
He highlights that the TERRA NOVA® team plans to further expand their Heuchera assortment in the near-future, saying: “Every year, TERRA NOVA® plants thousands of seedlings to evaluate for the coming years, and this year will be no different. We’ve got some new things up our sleeves that we’ll reveal soon. We are still looking for that “Blue Spruce” blue. Trends come and go, and that’s a good thing. I’m always thinking of the next, best thing I can breed,” he concludes.