Thunderbird Foamy Bells flowers

Thunderbird Foamy Bells flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Description:

A striking variety with bright yellow-gold leaves with contrasting brick red variegation that matures to purple, radiating from the leaf centers; dainty white bell flowers in late spring; best color with more sun; very heat tolerant

Ornamental Features

Thunderbird Foamy Bells features dainty spikes of white bell-shaped flowers with shell pink overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive glossy lobed leaves emerge yellow in spring, turning gold in color with pointy brick red spines and tinges of purple the rest of the year.

Landscape Attributes

Thunderbird Foamy Bells is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Thunderbird Foamy Bells is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Thunderbird Foamy Bells will grow to be about 9 inches tall at maturity extending to 16 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 16 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Thunderbird Foamy Bells is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.