Heathers are some of the best plants for year-round color. Indeed there are so many kinds of heather that at least one is blooming each day of the year!
Flowers are just the beginning of the story though, because foliage of Calluna, Daboecia and Erica - the species that make up Heaths and Heathers - is incredibly varied. Evergreen leaves can be deep green, but they can also be red, orange, yellow, blue or purple!
There are too many varieties of Heaths and Heathers to list, and our selection varies from year to year - but these are some of our favorites.
Calluna comes from the Greek word kallunein, meaning to cleanse, probably because the twigs were used to make brooms. Callunas have just a single species, Calluna vulgaris, but over 800 cultivated forms are in existence.
Flowers: Small bell flowers during summer in colors ranging from white to pink to crimson. Bud-bloomers are flowers that never mature beyond the bud stage and because of this, maintain their color for a long period. Double flower forms have more petals, so they look like pearl-size balls along the branches.
Foliage: Evergreen leaves are feathery or sometimes scale-like. Leaf color can be silver, green, gold or variegated, and many Callunas change color in the winter, turning brilliant orange, red or chocolate. Several varieties have red, coral or white new growth in spring.
Dark rose pink flowers August – October, green leaves, grows 18" x 24".
One of the best for foliage, 'Firefly' has yellow-orange leaves that turn bright red in winter. Flowers are a secondary concern, and they are mauve pink. Grows 18" x 20".
Pretty pink and cream new growth in spring turns gray-green with hints of lavender in winter, mauve flowers August - September, 12" x 18"
Leaves are the palest blue-gray and gain hints of lavender during winter, lavender-pink flowers July - September, grows 20" x 24"
Fiery red and orange new leaves turn deep green in summer, mauve flower spikes August - October, grows 18" x 24"
Daboecia is named for the Irish Saint Dabeoc
Daboecia azorica and Daboecia cantabrica exist in nature and Daboecia x scotica is a man-made hybrid of the two naturally occurring forms.
Flowers: Daboecia flowers are the largest of all the Heathers to ½” long and can be white, pink, red, magenta or purple. Flowers are held in racemes above the foliage & bloom from June to October.
Foliage: Evergreen leaves are dark green and glossy. Most Heather leaves look coniferous and needle-like, but Daboecia leaves are more 'leafy'.
Erica is from the Greek work ereiko meaning ‘to break’. Possibly because the stems break easily and possibly because of the medieval belief that it could be used medicinally to dissolve gall stones.
Flowers: Small bell-shape flowers can be white, pink, mauve, cerise, magenta or purple. Bloom-time varies per species.
Winter/Spring flowers: Erica carnea, Erica darleyensis.
Summer/Fall flowers: Erica cinerea, Erica griffithsii, Erica stuartii, Erica tetralix & Erica vegans
Foliage: Evergreen leaves look like tiny needles and can be green, gold or blue.
Dark pink flowers January-April, dark green leaves turn deep maroon at the tips in winter.
Grows 6" x 18"
Pure white flowers December-April, dark green leaves.
Grows 6" x 18"
Magenta flowers January – April, bronze leaves in winter turns green in the summer, grows 6" x 16"
Magenta bell flowers in summer - June-September, soft green needle-like leaves, grows 10" x 20"
Magenta flowers January – April, dark green leaves, grows 15" x 24".
Pink flowers February-April, gold leaves turn gold with orange tips in winter, grows 10" x 18".
Year-round
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Calluna (cal-EW-nuh)
Origin: Callunas span the whole of Europe, from the western coast to the Ural Mountains, expanding to North Africa & the southern fringe of the Arctic Circle. They’ve naturalized in eastern Canada from seed contained in packaging from early settlers.
Size: Varies from ground-hugging 2”x18” to upright 24”x30”
Culture: Sun, acidic, well-drained moist soil. Soils west of the cascades are acidic due to copious rain, but often drainage is a problem, so adding compost when planting helps. Callunas are tolerant to drought once established.
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Problems: Very few. Over watering and dense heavy soils can cause plants to rot or lose foliage in the center. Bugs and diseases are rare in Portland.
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Daboecia (dab-OH-she-uh)
Origin: Daboecia is found in coastal areas of Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal and the Azore Islands off of the coast of Portugal.
Size: Vary from 8”x20” to 16”x28”
Culture: Sun, part shade, acidic soil, tolerant of drought once established, but prefer even moisture. Trim annually after bloom to keep foliage full.
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Problems: Can look straggly if not pruned annually after bloom.
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Erica (ERR-i-cuh)
Origin: Ericas encompass over 800 species originating from South Africa, Europe & Turkey.
Size: Most Ericas are low-growing shrubs ranging between 12” & 24” tall. Tree heathers (Erica arborea & E. australis) are upright-growing varieties that can reach 20’ in their native habitats. In Portland we see 4-5’ easily, perhaps taller if planted in an area that is not too windy.
Culture: Ericas are happiest in sunny spots with well-drained, moist acidic soil. Several species will adapt to dryness, alkaline soil and partial shade. Prune annually to keep heathers looking full.
Hardiness: Varies per species from USDA Zone 4-9
Problems: Pests and diseases are typically not seen in Portland.
Read up on some of our favorite shrubs and remember, this is only a smattering of the variety of shrubs we carry all year long! Note: Viewing a Native Plant will take you into our Native Plant section.
