The alluring textured or variegated bronze, copper, olive, caramel, purple or red leaves and the spike-like tall, bell-shaped white, red, green, or pink flowers blooming in late spring to early summer make coral bells the first choice of ornamental plants. Do rabbits eat coral bells or not?
Coral bells or alumroot are common names for the various mostly evergreen perennial plants in the Heuchera genus and family Saxifragaceae. Other ornamentals in this family are Astilbe, miterwort (bishop’s cap), Indian rhubarb false miterwort (foamflower), pickaback, and woodland stars.
Heucheras are without a doubt a beauty, and for people who live in places with a lot of wild rabbits, jackrabbits, cottontails, hares, or even deer, their concern is whether this ornamental plant is rabbit and deer resistant or not.
While they are deer resistant, coral bells are not totally rabbit resistant, i.e., rabbits will eat coral flowers and tall flower stems, a reason they may have a less appealing show when they bloom. However, these animals will seldomly touch Hueceras leaves or stems.
Their ground-hugging or low laying leaves and low overall height (12-36 inches) make it possible for bunnies to access their flower stems. Also, they offer a perfect place for these animals.
However, rabbits alone shouldn’t discourage you from planting these beautiful flowers in your garden, which thrive best in filtered sun or shade (full sun may scorch their leaves), and rich, well-drained, moist soil thrive in USDA plant hardiness zone 3. There are many ways to keep these pesky pests away from your garden.
Some ways to minimize injury to the bell-shaped flower and flower stalks are by exclusion (fencing around your garden), using rabbit repellents and deterrents, having a dog, and modifying your habitat to deny them a hiding place, and so on.
Besides the various species, there are many coral bells’ hybrids to plant, with popular ones being H. americana (green spice) and H. sanguinea.
Finally, the Blackberry Jam, Can-Can, Green Spice, Lime Marmalade, Magic Wand, Marmalade, Obsidian Regina, Sashay, and Walnut Obsidian have the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit are a great choice too.