- Hardiness
- Zones 4 to 9
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 1 to 2 ft
- Blooms
- Late spring to summer (grown for leaves)
- Colors
- purple, lime, red, silver
When to plant coral bells by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Not hardy here | Too cold |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Spring: Apr 28 to Jun 23 Fall: Jul 20 to Aug 17 | Comes back |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Spring: Apr 24 to Jun 19 Fall: Jul 23 to Aug 20 | Comes back |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Spring: Apr 19 to Jun 14 Fall: Jul 27 to Aug 24 | Comes back |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Spring: Apr 17 to Jun 12 Fall: Aug 1 to Aug 29 | Comes back |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Spring: Apr 15 to Jun 10 Fall: Aug 7 to Sep 4 | Comes back |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Spring: Apr 8 to Jun 3 Fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 | Comes back |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Spring: Apr 2 to May 28 Fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 | Comes back |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Spring: Mar 22 to May 17 Fall: Aug 23 to Sep 20 | Comes back |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Spring: Mar 15 to May 10 Fall: Aug 29 to Sep 26 | Comes back |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Spring: Mar 2 to Apr 27 Fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 | Comes back |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Spring: Feb 16 to Apr 13 Fall: Sep 17 to Oct 15 | Comes back |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Spring: Jan 18 to Mar 15 Fall: Sep 30 to Oct 28 | Comes back |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
Similar perennials
More for your zone: zone 4 perennials, zone 5 perennials, zone 6 perennials, zone 7 perennials, zone 8 perennials, zone 9 perennials.
Frequently asked questions
What zone does coral bells grow in?
Coral bells is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it struggles with the winter. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does coral bells need?
Part shade to shade. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.