Calluna vulgaris (Scottish Heather)
Michael's Opinion
Impressive flower colour and good for group plantings. Easy to grow in most soils and fairly drought tolerant.
Botanical Information
| Family | Ericaceae |
| Genus | Calluna |
| Species | vulgaris |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| References | Reeves Garden Centre, Woodbridge Ontario; Glen Echo Nurseries, Caledon Ontario; Hyde Park Garden Centre, London Ontario. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 4–10 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 3b–8a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -30˚ |
| Temperature (°F) | -22˚ |
| Height | 30 cm |
| Spread | 50 cm |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | August |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | Evergreen flower with purple to white flowers. Small shrub with woody stems. |
| ID Characteristic | Mounding form with bright flowers. Calluna flowers have 4 lobes. |
| Shape | Loose, unkempt low growing mounded, ground cover form. |
| Propagation | Layering by setting a branch from the plant under the soil and letting it root. The most common way of propagation is cuttings. |
| Cultivation | Prefers acidic soil with good drainage. Grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Needs plenty of sun in the winter to produce flowers in summer and autumn. Strong winds can dry plants and kill them. |
| Pests | Susceptible to root diseases when soil is too moist. Plants in humid or moist areas are susceptible to fungal diseases. Heather Beetle (Lochmaea suturalis) eats the leafy-foliage. This pest is sometimes used to control Calluna vulgaris population. |
| Notable Specimens | Bells Cherrybank Garden, Perth, Scotland. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Bark is decay resistant. Smooth bark with red tinge. Not of ornamental importance. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Small, solitary, no stalk. Buds are also angled with approximately 3 scales. |
| Leaf Description | Evergreen with opposite arrangement and simple veination. The oblong-ovate. 0.5–1 cm long leaves are closely packed. |
| Flower Description | Red, purple-pink and white. Urn-shaped sepals that are less than 1 cm long. 4 lobed corolla. Flowers are on 2.5–30 cm racemes that flower from July–September. It is a long day plant. |
| Fruit Description | Four valved and less than 0.5 cm long capsule. Produced in October and not ornamental. |
| Colour Description | Medium green in the summer. In the winter leaves vary from bronze to green. |
| Texture Description | Plant has fine texture in all seasons. |
Photographs
Calluna vulgaris 'John F. Letts'.
Calluna vulgaris 'Gold Haze'.
Calluna vulgaris 'Silver Knight'.