Heuchera sanguinea, commonly called red coral bells, is an herbaceous, clump-forming perennial. The plant is low, spreading, and stemless. Red coral bells are native to warm, dry canyons of Mexico and adjacent New Mexico and Arizona. The genus name honors Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677-1747), physician, botanist and medicinal plant expert at Wittenberg University, Germany.
Heucheras are also called alum root, for its astringent root that can be used like alum in pickling processes and has been used medicinally to shrink tissues in nose bleeds, sore throats, ulcers and piles by Native Peoples.