Toffee Tart

Heuchera

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Caramel'

Summary: The plant of ‘Toffee Tart' is shorter than that of ‘Caramel'. The young leaf blade and fully developed leaf blade of ‘Toffee Tart' have a secondary colour present whereas those of ‘Caramel' have no secondary colour present. The petiole and leaf blade of ‘Toffee Tart' are shorter than those of ‘Caramel'. The flowering stem of ‘Toffee Tart' is shorter than that of ‘Caramel'. The flower part of the flowering stem of ‘Toffee Tart' is shorter and wider than that of ‘Caramel'.

Description:

PLANT: medium foliage density

YOUNG LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): colour one is orange brown (RHS 166D) to between medium brown and light brown (RHS 174C-D) covering a medium sized area distributed between veins throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern, colour two is brown red (RHS 178B) covering a small area distributed along veins in a solid or nearly solid pattern
LEAF BLADE: roundish ratio of length to width, rounded apex, medium lobing depth, medium number of medium depth margin indentations, weak to medium undulation of margin, weak rugosity
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): absent or very weak glossiness, absent or very sparse pubescence, colour one is medium brown (RHS165A) covering a large area distributed along veins and on margin as well as between veins throughout in a solid or nearly solid pattern, colour two is an overlay of brown grey (RHS197D) covering a medium sized area distributed between veins throughout in a flushed pattern
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): dark brown purple (RHS 183B), absent or very sparse pubescence
PETIOLE: medium brown purple (RHS 184B-C), sparse pubescence

TIME OF FLOWERING: begins early to mid-season
FLOWERING STEM: upright attitude, main colour is dark purple red (RHS 185A), moderately elongated ratio of length to width of flowering part, medium flower density
FLOWER BUD: white (RHS N155C)
FLOWER: outwards attitude, short, narrow, white (RHS N155C) outer side

Origin & Breeding History: ‘Toffee Tart' originated from a controlled cross between two unnamed proprietary hybrids. The female parent was known by the code K11-73-1, and the male parent was known as 15-113-1. The cross was conducted at Walters Gardens, Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan, USA on February 23, 2016. From the resulting progeny, seeds were collected and sown in the spring of 2016. Initial selections made in the fall of 2016 were based on distinct flower type, plant growth habit and disease resistance. ‘Toffee Tart' was first asexually propagated by divisions in 2017.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘Toffee Tart' was conducted outdoors during the summer of 2025 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 15 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. The plants were grown in 16 cm pots with 40 cm spacing between pots under a galvanized steel structure covered with black mesh shade fabric. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety in July of 2025. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on Student's t-tests.

Comparison tables for 'Toffee Tart' with reference variety 'Caramel'

Plant height (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Flower stem length (cm)

Length of flowering part of flowering stem (cm)

Width of flowering part of flowering stem (cm)

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Heuchera: 'Toffee Tart' (left) with reference variety 'Caramel' (right)

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Heuchera: 'Toffee Tart' (left) with reference variety 'Caramel' (right)