Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket'
Overview
Uses: Shade and woodland gardens, path edging, groundcover under shrubs, shaded containers.
Benefits: Conical spikes of shrimp-pink flowers stand well clear of the foliage, the strongest pink in the genus. Deeply cut leaves marked with dark midribs turn burnished bronze in sun and near-black in shade, holding interest long after bloom.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Sun: Partial sun/shade to heavy shade
Life Cycle: Hardy Perennial
Growth Habit: Mounding, clumping — low rosette of cut foliage
Bloom Color: Shrimp pink
Foliage Color: Green with dark burgundy midribs, turning bronze in sun and near-black in shade
Mature Height: 6–11 in.
Mature Width: 10–12 in.
Bloom Season: Mid to late spring
Growth Rate: Fast
Summary
Most foamflowers bloom white or the palest blush. 'Pink Skyrocket' is the one that actually delivers pink.
The flower spikes are conical and densely packed, opening from shrimp-pink buds to paler pink and white flowers so the whole head shows two tones at once. They stand well clear of the foliage on straight stems in mid to late spring, which is where the name comes from. It remains the best pink-flowered Tiarella that Terra Nova has produced, and it holds a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.
Out of flower the leaves carry the plant. They are glossy, deeply cut and lobed, marked with dark burgundy to near-black along the midrib and central veins. Grown in more light they finish the season burnished bronze; grown in shade they go deep, shining near-black. Sited in true woodland conditions the foliage often persists right through winter, dropping only as spring warms.
It works as an edger, a small-scale groundcover, or a container plant in shade. Deer and rabbits generally leave it alone.
Care
Pink Skyrocket Foamflower Care
Give it partial to full shade. Morning sun with afternoon shade produces good foliage color; full afternoon sun will scorch the leaves.
Woodland soil is what it wants: humus-rich, moisture-retentive, and well drained. Work compost or leaf mould into the planting area. It will take a fairly wide range of soils provided they do not stay saturated.
Keep the soil consistently moist and do not let it dry out completely. This is not a drought-tolerant plant. Winter wet is the one real hazard — ground that stays waterlogged through the cold months can kill the crown, so drainage matters most in the off-season.
Feed lightly in spring with slow release fertilizer at the labeled rate, or top-dress with compost instead.
Trim the flower stems off once they finish to keep the clump compact. Leave the foliage standing over winter; in a sheltered site it stays presentable, and you can clear the old leaves in early spring as new growth pushes.
Container growing: shade containers still dry out, so check the top inch of mix regularly and water before it dries fully. Use a container with open drainage and a humus-rich, free-draining mix. Feed lightly every four to six weeks during active growth. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Pink Skyrocket Foamflower for Sale Online?
Our Pink Skyrocket Foamflower ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants may arrive with buds or blooms during the active growing season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Pink Skyrocket Foamflower Grow?
Expect a mature height of about 6–11 in. and a spread of roughly 10–12 in. in the garden. Growth rate is fast. If you have questions about spacing for your site, please contact us.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
It is sold as foamflower or foam flower, and occasionally as false miterwort.
What is the difference between Tiarella, Heuchera, and Heucherella?
They are close relatives in the same family, and the names get mixed up constantly.
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Tiarella (foamflower) — grown for lobed, cut foliage and airy flower spikes; the most shade-tolerant of the three.
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Heuchera (coral bells) — grown chiefly for bold leaf color, with small flowers on wiry stems.
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Heucherella (foamy bells) — a cross between the two, combining foamflower leaf shape with coral bells coloring.
Is the foliage evergreen?
It depends on how it is sited. In sheltered woodland conditions the leaves usually hold through winter and drop only as spring growth begins. In exposed positions or at the cold end of its range it behaves as a deciduous perennial and dies back. Either way it returns reliably in spring.
How well does it work as a groundcover?
Well over a small area. It forms a low clump roughly a foot across and knits together into a continuous carpet when planted about a foot apart, dense enough to suppress weeds beneath shrubs. It is not a fast colonizer, so plan on planting the full area rather than waiting for it to fill in.
Will it grow in dry shade under trees?
It is one of the better candidates for that difficult spot, but it needs help getting established. Improve the planting area with compost, water through the first full season, and mulch to hold moisture. Once rooted it copes with the competition, though it will never be as tolerant of drought as a plant chosen for sun.
