The Heather Society is the International Cultivar Registration Authority for all heathers: plants in the genera Andromeda, Calluna, Daboecia and Erica.

You can select a Heather Evergreen Shrub by clicking on the Thumbnail to see its Plant Description alongside from the:-

• Heather Flower Colour in the Colour Wheel above
• Heather Flowering Season per Month
• Heather Spring Foliage Colour
• Heather Summer Foliage Colour
• Heather Autumn Foliage Colour
• Heather Winter Foliage Colour
• Heather Cultivar Group
• Seed Colour
• Heather in Flower Bed Pictures Comparison Pages in the menu on the right

or clicking on the Botanical Name link from one of the:-

• All Flowers Colour Wheel ,
  All Flowers per Month Colour Wheel ,
  Foliage Colour Wheel or
  Rock Garden Plant Colour Wheel Pages
   

or you can select one from the
59 ERICA: HARDY HEATHS Heather Evergreen Shrubs
which includes the cultivars from Erica carnea Gallery
and Erica cinerea Gallery by clicking on its:-

• Heather Description Page in the list below
  or in the Site Map of Erica carnea Gallery
  or in the Site Map of Erica cinerea Gallery

The following suppliers may be of use (current in March 2015):-
 

• Belgium
  Boomkwekerij De Bock LV Retail Sales
  Boomkwekerij De Bruyn bvba Mail Order and Retail Sales
   
• Canada
  The Heather Farm Mail order within Canada. Display Garden. No on-site retail sales.They have one of the largest collections of both miniature roses and heathers in Canada.
  Mason House Gardens Display garden and retail sales.Our interest is in xeriscaping (water efficient gardening).
  Pepiniere Villeneuve Mail order within Canada. Display garden and retail sales.
  Bunchberry Nurseries Display garden and Retail sales
   
• France
  Pepinieres Dauget Retail sales. Les Pépinières DAUGUET cultivent plus de 3000 variétés d'Arbres, arbustes, conifères, bambous, rosiers. Vous trouverez sur nos 85 hectares de cultures des sujets de grande dimension pour donner aux jardins de l'ancienneté, des sujets taillés pour les jardins architecturés ainsi que de nombreux autres végétaux de toutes tailles, formes et couleurs pour agrémenter parcs et jardins.
   
• Germany
  Baumschule H. Hachmann Mail order, display garden and retail sales.
  Heidbohl-Baumschule Jurgen Krebs Mail order and retail sales.
  Husmann Heide-Jungpflanzen Mail Order of rooted cuttings for 100 heather cultivars.
   
• Netherlands
  Heather's Heide Mail order and retail sales.
  Planten Tuin Esveld Mail order and retail sales. We can ship in principle to any address in any country.
   
• Switzerland
  Haunstein AG Baumschulen & Garten-Center Mail order, display garden and retail sales
   
• United Kingdom
  Galloway Heathers Mail order for 140 heather varieties and garden centre (retail sales).
  Goscote Nurseries Ltd Nursery Gardens and Retail sales. Our Tea Garden Café is run by Norths of Rothley, serving their delicious cakes and sandwiches for you to enjoy within the Nursery’s gardens.
  Highland Heathers Display garden and retail sales of 100 different heather varieties. Browse through the Heather Garden and walk around the working nursery.
  Hillway Nursery Retail sales.
  Holden Clough Nursery Mail order and retail sales.
  Join John for informative and informal courses which include:1 Hour Talk, 2 Course Meal and Full nursery tour.
  The new tea room is open 7 days a week serving home cooked traditional food using locally sourced ingredients.
  Jackson's Nurseries (UK) Ltd Mail order to United Kingdom only. Retail sales.
  Jacksons Nurseries specialise in Amenity Landscape Design, Construction and Maintenance, specialising in the resolution of soft landscape problems whether technical or simply by providing engineered cost solutions.
  Tea Room serves quality homemade dishes 7 days a week.
  John Hall Plants We have access to over 1,000 varieties, so will be able to meet your requirements. We can draw up your plans for you, just let us know the dimensions of the plot, soil type and any requirements, and leave the rest to us. Plants can be collected from the Nursery (by appointment), or sent by post, courier etc. at cost. Large orders will be delivered using our own transport. Contact nursery for stocklist by email or Tel: 01428 715505.
  Spring Park Nursery Mail Order. Retail sales by appointment only. We also have sole UK access to over 1000+ cultivars which are imported from Holland.
  Triscombe Nurseries Mail order to United Kingdom mainland only. Retail sales.
  Ashwood Nurseries Mail order. ‘John’s Garden’ at Ashwood Nurseries is a wonderful three acre private garden created by nursery owner John Massey VMH. This is a private garden which is open on selected dates from 10am-4pm throughout the year.
   
• United States of America
  Dayton Nurseries Inc. Mail order, display garden and retail sales.
  Heaths and Heathers Mail order. Display garden and retail sales. We have more varieties available than anyone in the United States and one of the largest collections in the world. Our display garden has over 2,000 plants in the ground.
  Highland Heather Mail order, Retail sales by appointment only.
  Quackin'Grass Nursery Display garden and on-site sales. Closes for winter.
  Sylvan Nursery Mail order and retail sales. For the past five years the primary soil mix used in the containers has been superhumus, which is a by-product produced by the lumber industry as part of their conservation program.  Use of superhumus improved the water holding capacity of our container stock while maintaining excellent drainage.
   

The following Companion plant sections on

• Trees
• Shrubs and Vines
• Grasses and Grasslike Plants
• Herbaceous Perennials
• Spring-flowering "Bulbous" Plants
• Heathers in the Mixed Border
• Annuals
• Heathers as Companions or Foils for Other Plants
• Winning combinations

are written in
Gardening with Hardy Heathers by David Small and Ella May T. Wulff (ISBN-13:978-0-88192-782-5).

SHRUB EVERGREEN GALLERY PAGES

Site Map of pages with content (o)

Introduction

FLOWER COLOUR
(o)Blue
(o)Orange
(o)Other Colours
(o)Pink
(o)Red
(o)White
(o)Yellow

FOLIAGE COLOUR
Black
Blue
Brown
Bronze
(o)Green
(o)Grey
(o)Purple
(o)Red
Silver
(o)Variegated White
(o)Variegated Yellow
White
(o)Yellow
(o)4 Season Colour

7 Flower Colours per Month in Colour Wheel below IN EVERGREEN SHRUB GALLERY. Click on Black or White box in Colour of Month.

(o) COMMENTS
 

HEATHER ERICA: OTHER HARDY HEATHS EVERGREEN SHRUB GALLERY PAGES
Site Map of pages with content (o)

Introduction


(o) in front of Page Name or Index Page No in this Main Menu Table indicates that all pages linked to from that cell have content.

1 (o)January
1 is Flowering Season January in Shrub Heathers Gallery
(o)January is Flowering Season January in Shrub Heather Gallery

Click on Colour below to link to its Heather Flower Colour Page in Shrub Heather gallery.

Click on H number to link to its Heather Flower Colour Page in the Shrub Heathers Gallery. Heathers in that Gallery are inserted in the relevant page according to their given H number, not according to what their actual flower colour looks like.

Photos from Chris Garnons-Williams are added to that respective flower colour or foliage colour page in the Shrub Heather Gallery and the relevant index page in Shrub Heather Index Gallery IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ACTUAL FLOWER COLOUR OR FOLIAGE COLOUR (stated in the Handy Guide) IN THE IMAGE THAT WAS TAKEN BY CHRIS GARNONS-WILLIAMS.

FLOWERING SEASON
1 (o)January
1 (o)February
1 (o)March
1 (o)April
1 (o)May
1 (o)June
1 (o)July
1 (o)August
1 (o)September
1 (o)October
1 (o)November
1 (o)December

SPRING FOLIAGE COLOUR
1 (o)Spri-Bronze
1 (o)Spri-Green
1 (o)Spri-Grey
1 (o)Spri-Orange
1 (o)Spri-Red
1 (o)Spri-Yellow
1 (o)Spri-Other

SUMMER FOLIAGE COLOUR
1 (o)Sum-Bronze
1 (o)Sum-Green
1 (o)Sum-Grey
1 Sum-Orange
1 (o)Sum-Red
1 (o)Sum-Yellow
1 (o)Sum-Other

AUTUMN FOLIAGE COLOUR
1 (o)Aut-Bronze
1 (o)Aut-Green
1 (o)Aut-Grey
1 Aut-Orange
1 (o)Aut-Red
1 (o)Aut-Yellow
1 (o)Aut-Other

WINTER FOLIAGE COLOUR
1 (o)Win-Bronze
1 (o)Win-Green
1 (o)Win-Grey
1 (o)Win-Orange
1 (o)Win-Red
1 (o)Win-Yellow
1 (o)Win-Other
 

CULTIVAR GROUP
1...Andromeda
.....Bruckenthalia
.....Bruckenthalia
.....spiculifolia
.....changed to
1...Erica spiculifolia
1,2.(o)Calluna and
.....Calluna Gallery
1...(o)Daboecia and
.....Daboecia Gallery

.....Erica
.....Others Gallery
.....and
.....Erica
.....Hardy Heaths:-
1...Erica
.....afroeuropea
1...Erica
.....andevalensis
.....now treated as
.....Erica mackayana
.....ssp andevalensis
1...(o)Erica arborea
1...Erica arendsiana
1...Erica australis
1...Erica azorica
.....(Syn.
.....Erica scoparia
.....subsp. azorica)
1...(o)Erica carnea
.....and
.....Carnea Gallery
1...Erica cillaris
1...(o)Erica cinerea
.....and
.....Cinerea Gallery
1...(o)Erica
.....darleyensis
1...Erica erigena
1...Erica
.....garforthensis
1...Erica gaudificans
1...Erica griffithsii
1...Erica krameri
1...(o)Erica lusitanica
1...(o)Erica
.....mackayana
1...Erica maderensis
1...Erica
.....manipuliflora
1...Erica multiflora
1...Erica
.....oldenburgensis
1...Erica platycodon
1...Erica scoparia
1...Erica sicula
1...Erica spiculifolia
1...Erica stuartii
1...Erica terminalis
1...(o)Erica tetralix
1...Erica umbellata
1...(o)Erica vagans
1...Erica veitchii
1...Erica watsonii
1...Erica williamsii

SEED COLOUR
.....Seed

BED PICTURES
.....Garden

H1 Amethyst

H2
Mauve

H3
Lavender

H4
Lilac

H0
White

H5
Ruby

H6
Cerise

H7
Rose Pink

H8
Pink

Heather label moved from valid to invalid Heather

H9
Beetroot

H10
Purple

H11
Lilac Pink

H12 Heliotrope

H13 Crimson

H14 Magenta

H15
Salmon

H16
Shell Pink

H17 Multi-Coloured

Some heathers besides having flowers have foliage colours that change from 1 season to the next season in the UK -

• Spring (March, April, May),
• Summer (June, July, August),
• Autumn (September, October, November) and
• Winter (December, January, February).

The Shrub Heathers Comparison Gallery provides comparison pages of the:-

• 18 flower colours with flower and flower stalk as shown in the menu table above,
• 18 flower colours with flower and flower stalk in each of the months that heather flowers,
• 7 foliage colours with foliage stalk and form per season as shown in the menu table above, and
• Each of the Heather Cultivar Groups with flowers

THIS COMBINATION OF FOLIAGE COLOUR CHANGE CAN BE USED IN YOUR GARDEN DESIGN TO AID DIFFERENT GROUNDCOVER FOLIAGE COLOURS IN DIFFERENT SEASONS, together with the months of flower buds before flowering and the post months of seedheads.
 

"Handy Guide to Heathers - Descriptions & Suppliers of over 1000 varieties" by David & Anne Small. Published in 1992 by Denbeigh Heather Nurseries in the UK. ISBN 0-9519160-0-9. It provides a handy reference to descriptions of heathers in the genera Andromeda, Bruckenthalia, Calluna, Daboecia and Erica which are commercially cultivated in Britain, Europe and North America. The information has very largely come from the work of the Heather Society on producing an International Register of all heather names irrespective of whether they are in commercial use or not.

Heather Evergreen Shrub Name

Flower Colour

Flowering Months

Height x Spread in inches (cms) (1 inch = 2.5 cms, 12" = 1 foot = 30 cms)

Foliage Colour

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Andromeda polifolia

"A dwarf plant of the northern hemisphere found in Europe, North America ad Japan. The majority of the species grown in gardens emanate from the Japanese population where they are found on well separated mountains, each having distinctive groups of plants."

"Andromeda polifolia is also called Marsh Rosemary and Bog-rosemary. Its habitat is bogs, swamps, fens and peat-covered areas besides ponds.

Bog rosemary is not particularly highly esteemed in Finland, as folk names like ‘bog heather’ show. The father of botany Carl von Linné on the other hand adored the species, as is evident from the way that its scientific name compares it to the princess Andromeda from Greek mythology, who was renowned for her beauty and who was chained to a shore-side rock as a sacrifice for the sea monster. Perseus, the hero of the tale, flew on his winged horse Pegasus so save the damsel in distress, but bog rosemary is still chained to the peat.

Bog rosemary is very widespread in boggy habitats and thrives in both wet swamps and dry bog moss hummocks. The plant’s annual growth is lime green or with slightly reddish shades and is covered with a greyish, wax-like film. Strangely bloated and beautiful wine-red shoots can quite often be found in the bogs – in this case the plant has been destroyed by a fungus. Black patches on the leaves on the other hand are a sign that the plant is being attacked by another kind of fungus. Plant-eaters do not bother with bog rosemary as it contains andromedotoxin which is very poisonous, although there is no record of anyone dying from eating the plant.

Bog rosemary’s flower buds develop already in the previous growing season. The reddish flower is beautiful, and as it contains nectar and is fragrant it is clearly intended to attract pollinators. These do not however fly around bogs much at the beginning of summer when the plant is flowering, so for safety’s sake it is self-pollinating. Especially on the northern bogs and fell areas the seeds do not develop at all, but the species is not dependent on its seeds to propagate itself. It spreads efficiently through its underground rootstock and runners." from LuontPortii.

Andromeda polifolia 'Alba' - H0

White - H0
5-8 flowers in a raceme

May-Jun
Erect habit

6 x 16
(15 x 40)

Dark Grey

Dark Grey

Dark Grey

Dark Grey

Andromeda polifolia 'Compacta' - H8

Pink - H8

May-Jun Compact broad habit making a very neat mound

12 x 18
(30 x 45)

Glaucous Green

Glaucous Green

Glaucous Green

Glaucous Green

Bruckenthalia spiculifolia changed to Erica spiculifolia

"A dwarf, heather like shrub with tiny dense foliage with flowers displayed above the plant in short compact racemes. Ideal for the heather garden with a flowering season earlier than most Daboecia and Erica cinerea." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.

"Erica spiculifolia (Bruckenthalia) - Bruckenthalia's beautiful name has been changed to plain old Erica.  This is probably the hardiest heath of all.  When all others are damaged, Bruckenthalia remains unharmed.  Needs good drainage, acid soil and sun.  The flowers are held above the plants in short compact racemes.  It is an early season bloomer and sometimes blooms again in the fall.  They rot off at the base branch by branch if too wet. Zone 4 (-30 below) - probably Zone 3 - and warmer." from Heaths and Heathers.

Calluna vulgaris Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Calluna vulgaris cultivar
A-C Index
D-G Index
H-L Index
M-R Index
S-Z Index
 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Calluna vulgaris cultivar
A-C Index section AB-AP
A-C Index section AP-BU
A-C Index section BU-CW
D-G Index section DB-FA
D-G Index section FA-GO
D-G Index section GO-GU
H-L Index section HA-IN
H-L Index section IN-LO
H-L Index Section LO-LY
M-R Index Section MA-PA
M-R Index Section PA-RO
M-R Index Section RO-RU
S-Z Index Section SA-SO
S-Z Index Section SP-WH
S-Z Index Section WI-YV
 

"Calluna prefers light acid soils. It will grow in any lime free soil but growth is less vigorous in heavier soils. Calluna will perform better in open sunny situations, this being particularly true for those exhibiting foliage colour variations."

Daboecia Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Daboecia Index cultivar
Daboecia Index

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Daboecia cultivar
Daboecia cantabrica Index section
Daboecia x scotica Index Section

Daboecia azorica
"This species is found growing in the azores up to a height of 2000m, but despite this, clones so far collected are easily damaged by -5 degrees C frosts. It is distinguished from Daboecia cantabrica by being a more diminuative plant with smaller leaves and flowers with no hairs on the corolla. Plants sold under this name are usually Daboecia x scotica."

Daboecia cantabrica
"St. Daboec's heath has broad leaves, white on the underside, and large flowers which drop when finished. They will tolerate a little shade but should not be planted directly under trees. They are remarably resistant to drought. Some cultivars suffer in winter if planted in heavy ground, frost hollows, or in cold windy aspects."

Daboecia x scotica
"This group of plants consist of hybrids between Daboecia cantabrica and Daboecia azorica. They have the compactness of Daboecia azorica and hardiness of Daboecia cantabrica. Cultural details as for Daboecia cantabrica."
 

Erica arborea

"A tree heath which in our UK climate may reach 3-5 metres. It is not as tolerant of lime as is commonly supposed and is best grown in acid conditions. Young plants should be shaped in the early years to avoid untidy growth. It is not generally very hardy but there are exceptions. Can be damaged by heavy snowfalls but will break from the base again."

'Albert's Gold'

'Alpina'

'Estrella Gold' - H0

White - H0

April,
May

48 x 30 (120 x 75)

Lime-Green tipped bright Yellow

Lime-Green

Lime-Green

Lime-Green

'Spring Smile'

Erica x arendsiana

"Arend's Heath is a shrub to 1m tall after 5 years. Mature foliage mid-green but young shoots discoloured; leaves in whorls of 4, to 8mm long. Flowers in terminal umbels; calyx green, 4-lobed or sepals free; corolla ovoid, 6mm long, dull pink; stamens 8; anthers with narrow spurs; nectar copious.
Blooms throughout autumn and winter into early spring.
A hybrid between the bell heather (Erica cinerea) and the Corsican heath (Erica terminalis) which was first reported to have been created by Georg Arends. Kurt Kramer also succeeded in producing the same cross and extant clones represent his work." from The Heather Society

'Charnwood Pink'

Erica australis

"Tree heaths with rather straggly growth preferring acid soils. However, their flowers, large and showy, are outstanding. Prone to snow and wind damage."

Erica australis

'Riverslea'

Erica carnea Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Erica carnea cultivar
Erica carnea Index
 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Erica carnea cultivar
Index section AD-JO
Index section JO-RO
Index section RU-WI

 

"One of the hardiest of all heaths and very easy to grow in almost any soil. All exhibit a dwarf carpeting habit and with few exceptions rarely require pruning. Care must be taken when pruning as Erica carnea buds as early as July in the UK. It is safer to prune immediately after the flowers have faded. Prune around the edges and very lightly over the top of the plant. The flowering times of Erica carnea vary markedly, plants in milder climates being as much as 2 months earler than in colder conditions. Generally they can be expected to show flower for 6-8 weeks within the time span stated."
 

Erica ciliaris

"This species occurs naturally in moist acid sunny positions, but experience has shown that, in cultivation, it can withstand drought as well as any other Erica. This species has the largest bells of our native UK heaths."

'Alba'

'Bretagne'

'Camla'

'Corfe Castle'

'David McClintock

'Globosa' - H11

Lilac Pink - H11

August, September, October, November

12 x 20
(30 x 50)

Mid-Green

Mid-Green

Mid-Green

Mid-Green

'Mawiana'

'Mrs. C.H. Gill'

'Rotundiflora'

'Stapehill'

'Stoborough'

'Wych'

Erica cinerea Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Erica cinerea cultivar
Erica cinerea Index

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Erica cinerea cultivar
Erica cinerea Index section AM-HE
Erica cinerea Index section HO-RO
Erica cinerea Index section RO-WI

"A species commonly found on the drier parts of moors and heathlands but fares no better than other ericas during periods of drought. Whilst the majority of the cultivars have rather drab dark green foliage, they are well worth growing for the great richness and range of their flowers. Acid soil is essential to grow this species successfully."
 

Erica x darleyensis
with link to its photos and text in
Heather Description Page in this Gallery or
Erica darleyensis Cultivars Index Page in Shrub Heather Index Gallery
or
Erica darleyensis Index
with Description in Table row 1
for
each Erica darleyensis cultivar
Index
 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Erica darleyensis cultivar
Erica darleyensis cultivar 1
Erica darleyensis cultivar 2
 

"One of the easiest heathers to grow. It is suitable for all soils and particularly good at smothering weeds. These cultivars are hybrids between Erica carnea and Erica erigena and, like all sterile hardy hybrids, have coloured young foliage and a long flowering period. Hardy"
 

Erica erigena

"A species useful in alkaline soils and providing some of the better 'architectural' heaths. Not as hardy as Erica carnea and Erica x darleyensis and damage is caused by frosts greater than -10 degrees C. Damage can also be caused by heavy snow as branches are rather brittle."

'Alba'

'Brian Proudley'

'Brightness'

'Coccinea'

'Ewan Jones'

'Golden Lady'

'Hibernica'

'Irish Salmon'

'Irish Silver' - H4

Lilac - H4

April, May, June

16 x 16
(40 x 40)

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

'Mrs Parris' Lavender'

'Mrs Parris' White'

'Nana'

'Nana Alba'

'Nana Comoacta'

'Rosea'

'Rosslare'

'Rubra'

'Superba' - H16

Shell Pink - H16

April, May, June

60 x 24 (150 x 60)

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

'W. T. Rackliff'

Erica griffithsii

"Griffiths's Heath is a Shrub to 0.5m tall; shoots erect or spreading; leaves in whorls of 4, to 8mm long; 1–4 flowers in axillary umbels on short leafy shoots, scented; calyx 4-lobed, variously coloured green or pink; corolla pink, campanulate, to 3mm long; stamens 8, erect, fully emerged; anthers without spurs.
Blooms in late summer and autumn.
A hybrid between Erica manipuliflora (whorled heath) and Erica vagans (Cornish heath) which occurred by chance in Britain in the mid-twentieth century. The clones are lime-tolerant, hardy (suitable for zone 6), and have the vigour of whorled heath and the compactness and early flowering of Cornish heath. Named after Professor John Griffiths, the first person to create the hybrid deliberately. " from The Heather Society.

'Ashlea Gold'

'Elegant Spike'

'Valerie Griffiths'

Erica lusitanica

"A tree heath found naturally on acid soil in Portugal, Northern Spain and South West France and has the longest flowering period of any tree heath. Capable of withstanding a considerable amount of drought."

Erica lusitanica and
Heather Index Gallery

White - H0

March, April, May

40 x 28 (100 x 70)

Medium Green

Medium Green

Medium Green

Medium Green

'George Hunt' - H0

White - H0

March, April

28 x 18
(70 x 45)

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

'Sheffield Park'

Erica mackaiana

"Another lime hater found naturally in boggy ground in western Ireland and north-west Spain. It provides neat ground cover, but is suspect in very dry conditions. It produces new shoots from the roots, which can be detached to form new plants."

'Donegal'

f. eburnea
'Doctor Ronald Gray'

'Errigal Dusk'

'Maura' - H12

Heliotrope - H12

July, August, September

10 x 14
(25 x 35)

Mid Grey-Green

Mid Grey-Green

Mid Grey-Green

Mid Grey-Green

f. multiplicata 'Plena'

'Plena'

'Shining Light'

Erica manipuliflora

"An eastern Mediterranean species which is lime tolerant, and happily grows on magnesium deficient soils (unlike Erica vagans). There are 2 distinct populations now classified as sub-species"

Erica manipuliflora

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Corfu'

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Don Richards'

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Korcula'

Erica manipuliflora ssp manipuliflora
'Aldeburgh'

Erica oldenburgensis

"Oldenburg Heath is a Shrub to 1m tall; leaves in whorls of 3, linear, to 1cm long; flowers on axillary shoots in terminal whorls of 3–5; calyx with 4 unequal lobes, waxy, thicker in texture than corolla, usually white with green or yellow-green tips; corolla ovoid, pink, to 5mm long; stamens 8, often malformed; anthers without spurs.
Blooms in winter to late spring.
Deliberately created hybrid between tree heather (Erica arborea) and winter heath (Erica carnea)which have inherited the hardiness of the winter heath, created by Kurt Kramer (Edewecht, Germany). They exhibit brightly coloured new growth in spring. Lime-tolerant and suitable for zones 5-9. " from The Heather Society.

ammerland

oldenburgh

Erica spiculifolia

"A dwarf, heather like shrub with tiny dense foliage with flowers displayed above the plant in short compact racemes. Ideal for the heather garden with a flowering season earlier than most Daboecia and Erica cinerea."

Erica spiculifolia

Erica spiculifolia 'Balkan Rose'

Erica x stuartii

"A natural hybrid between Erica mackaiana and Erica tetralix in Connemara and Donegal, Ireland. It is apparently absent from north-west Spain, the only site where the 2 parents co-exist."

'Connemara' - H14 and
Heather Index Gallery

Magenta - H14

July, August, September

10 x 20
(25 x 50)

Dark Grey Green

Dark Grey Green

Dark Grey Green

Dark Grey Green

'Irish Lemon' (Erica erigena 'Irish Lemon' in error for Erica x stuartii 'Irish Lemon'

'Irish Orange'

'Nacung'

'Stuartii'

Erica terminalis

"A tree heath found from southern Spain to southern Italy which nevertheless is the hardiest of all tree heaths. It quickly forms an erect bush, which if pruned frequently in the early years forms a good shape suitable for low hedging and specimen planting. Lime tolerant."

Erica terminalis - H11

Lilac Pink - H11

July, August, September

72-96 x 36 (180-240 x 90)

Mid Green

Mid Green

Mid Green

Mid Green

'Golden Triumph'

'Golden Oriole'

Erica tetralix
with link to its photos and text in
Heather Description Page in this Gallery
or
Erica tetralix Cultivars Index Page in Shrub Heather Index Gallery
Erica tetralix
with link to its photos and text in
Heather Description Page in this Gallery
or
Erica tetralix Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Erica tetralix cultivar
Erica tetralix Index

 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Erica tetralix cultivar
Erica tetralix cultivars
 

"The third most widespread native UK heath, often found in boggy areas. In the garden, however, it is tolerant of drier conditions but does require acid soil. The flowers of this very hardy species are typically held in terminal umbels."

Erica umbellata

"A very useful and colourful species as it flowers between Erica carnea and Erica cinerea. It will grow in alkaline soils but requires a well-drained soil. It can withstand drought and is fairly hardy provided the soil is free draining. It flowers profusely especially if it is not trimmed"

'Anne Small'

Erica vagans
with link to its photos and text in
Heather Description Page in this Gallery
or
Erica vagans Cultivars Index Page in Shrub Heather Index Gallery
or
Erica vagans Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each Erica vagans cultivar in this Gallery
Erica vagans cultivars
 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each Erica vagans cultivar in this Gallery
Erica vagans cultivars
 

"A native UK species found on the serpentine and gabbro rocks of the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, but will be successful in any soil containing a high content of magnesium. It provides a very useful range of colours during September and October. The faded bells of many cultivars become an attractive russet in winter."

Erica x veitchii

"Hybrids between Erica arborea and Erica lusitanica which are generally not quite hardy, severe damage occurring at -15 degrees C to some of the cultivars."

Erica x veitchii

'Exeter'

'Gold Tips'

'Pink Joy'

Erica x watsonii

"A sterile hybrid occurring naturally between Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix, first found in Cornwall in 1831. The form and habit amongst the cultivars varies considerably, but generally they have a long flowering period and are hardy."

'Cherry Turpin'

'Claire Elise' - H14

Magenta Pink - H14

July, August, September, October

8 x 18
(20 x 45)

Dark Green with striking dark Red tips

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

'Dawn'

'Dorothy Metheny' - H4

Pale Lilac - H4 deepening with age

June, July, August, September, October

12 x 18
(30 x 45)

Bright Green with Yellow tips

Bright Green

Bright Green

Bright Green

'F. White'

'Gwen'

'Mary'

'Rachel'

'Truro'

Erica x williamsii

"A naturally occurring sterile hybrid between Erica vagans and Erica tetralix first found near St. Keverne, Cornwall in 1860 and known nowhere else but on the Lizard Peninsula. It will tolerate some alkaline soils."

'Cow-Y-Jack'

'David Coombe'

'Gem Graze'

'Gold Button' - H11

Lilac Pink - H11

August, September

2 x 4
(5 x 10)

Golden-Yellow

Golden-Yellow

Golden-Yellow

Golden-Yellow

'Gwavas'

'Ken Wilson'

'Lizard Downs'

'Marion Hughes'

'P. D. Williams'

Site design and content copyright ©May 2012. Page structure amended January 2013.
Added separate Index Menus for Erica x darleyensis, Erica tetralix and Erica vagans May 2015.
Index pages added with thumbnails November 2018.
Chris Garnons-Williams.

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