Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pumpkin Spice Foamy Bells: Autumn Colors Without Waiting for Fall
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Pumpkin Spice foamy bells brings autumn colors to the spring and summer garden. Its lobed leaves, about 4 inches across, are bronze red with deep mahogany centers that bleed out along the veins. In early summer, dark red stems carry slim spikes of tiny cream flowers above a very dense, low mound.
It prefers afternoon shade and even moisture, so its spot is a shadier bed away from the lavender. There, it adds warmth that cool lavender gardens often lack.
Pumpkin Spice at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | × Heucherella 'Pumpkin Spice' |
| Foliage | Lobed, bronze red with mahogany centers |
| Flowers | Tiny cream flowers on dark red stems 16 to 20 inches tall |
| Mound size | 8 to 10 inches tall, 18 to 22 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-June, single flush |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to full shade; best color in filtered sun or afternoon shade |
| Deer | Moderately resistant |
Warm tones for a cool garden
A lavender garden lives in cool colors. Silver, gray-green, blue-violet. Pumpkin Spice is the opposite: rust, bronze and mahogany. In a shady bed near your lavender, a few mounds of it give the eye a warm contrast, especially next to chartreuse hostas or bright green ferns, which make the bronze glow.
Its warm leaf color also suits containers on a shady porch. As a villosa hybrid, it handles heat and humidity better than many foamy bells, but leaf color is still best out of hot afternoon sun. Plan shady combinations in the Companion Plant Planner.
Care notes
- Soil: average to fertile and well drained, kept evenly moist. Do not let the crown sit wet; crown rot in soggy soil is the main risk.
- Air: good airflow keeps leaf spot and mildew away in humid summers.
- After bloom: it flowers in a single flush, so remove the stems once finished.
- Massing: its dense habit makes it a good edger or mass planting in shade.
Winter care
Pumpkin Spice is hardy in Michigan in well-drained soil. The semi-evergreen leaves may brown in a hard winter. Mulch lightly after the ground freezes to prevent heaving, then trim winter-damaged leaves in early spring.
Tray sizes
It is offered as a 72-cell plug tray for mass plantings and growers, and as a 20-cell plug tray with larger cells for smaller projects or fall containers. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
What should I plant with Pumpkin Spice?
Chartreuse or bright green foliage makes its bronze red stand out. In the shade bed, try it with gold-leaved hostas or green ferns.
Does it set seed?
No. It is seedless, so there is no deadheading for seed control, just tidying.
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