Ivydene Gardens Heather Erica: Other Hardy Heaths Gallery:
Other heather cultivars Page 3 of 4

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

Other Heathers Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each other heather cultivar
Other Heather Index

 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each other heather cultivar
Other Heather 1
Other Heather 2
Other Heather 3
Other Heather 4
 

"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.

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.

Species: Erica x griffithsii:-

Since these heathers in this species are lime-tolerant, then I suggest that you "Prep the soil. Heaths and heathers are acid lovers, preferring a soil pH of 4.5-5.5. Although some heaths are more tolerant of alkaline soil, particularly Irish heath (Erica erigena), most types will struggle. Work in damp peat moss or other acidic soil amendments, particularly if your soil is pH neutral (6.5-7.5). Till or loosen the soil and dig holes twice as wide as each plant's root ball to encourage roots to spread.
Provide drainage. Without good drainage, these plants just won't grow. For clay soil (which provides neither the right pH nor proper drainage), build a raised bed with equal parts topsoil, sand, and composted bark or peat moss, which will create acidic soil that properly drains. For boggy soil (which may be the right pH but too wet), make a modest berm." from Better Homes and Gardens in America.

"Erica x griffithsii : Griffiths's heath
 

• Erica x griffithsii Clones" from The Heather Society, who use the following in their descriptions - "Flower colours are indicated using the colours given in The Heather Society’s colour chart, with a code of the colour; thus, H9 is the code for the colour called beetroot. Flowering periods are indicated by Roman numerals from I to XII (each equivalent to a month); thus, for example, IX-XII means September to December (in northern hemisphere)."

"Erica x griffithsii are hybrids that tend to have the vigor of Erica manipuliflora and the compactness and early flowering of Erica vagans.  They seem to be able to grow well even in alkaline soil.  A few in this group used to be in the Erica manipuliflora group but have since been found to be hybrids.  So, if you used to know them as Erica manipuliflora, that is the reason for the change.
Hardy to at least Zone 6 (-10 degrees) and warmer. " from Heaths and Heathers.
 

'Ashlea Gold'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Elegant Spike'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Valerie Griffiths'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

Species: Erica lusitanica:-

"Erica lusitanica : Portuguese heath
White flowers, XII–V, buts sometimes tinged pink; mid-green foliage; open erect habit; height to 1-4.5m; spread 61–75cm; leaves in whorls of 4 (sometimes in 3s), to 7mm long; flowers numerous and crowded appearing to form elongated spikes: 1–4 flowers in each terminal umbel at tip of short, leafy lateral shoots; calyx conical, with 4 lobes, white, waxy; corolla white, often tinged pink in bud, bell-shaped to tubular, to 5mm long; stamens 8, included; filaments white, with hairs on lower third; anthers with 2 spurs; style-end emergent, tinged red; nectar copious.
Blooms in winter and spring.
Native in widely scattered and relatively small areas in western and southern Portugal; south-western and north-eastern Spain and south-western France (Gironde). Also occurs as a naturalized garden-escape in places are widely separated as Hawaii, Tasmania, England and California. It has the longest flowering period of any tree heath, and will grow in most soils and is suitable for hardiness zone 8." from The Heather Society.

"Erica lusitanica originates in southwest France, Spain and Portugal.  These tree heaths need acid soil.  They are quite drought tolerant.  They have naturalized in Northern California along the freeways and are successfully competing with the dreaded Scotch Broom.
Zone 7 (0 degrees) and warmer.  Take off heavy snow loads to avoid breakage." from Heaths and Heathers.

Erica lusitanica is treated as a weed in New Zealand and Australia.
 

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

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'George Hunt' - H0

White - H0

March, April

28 x 18
(70 x 45)

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

Bright Yellow

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Sheffield Park'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica mackayana

"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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

Species - Erica mackayana (Syn. Erica crawfordii, Erica mackaii):-

"Erica mackayana. 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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.

"Erica mackayana : Mackay's heath (formerly Erica mackaiana)
Bushy shrub to 1.5m tall, branches ascending or sprawling; leaves in evenly spaced whorls of 4, always spreading more or less horizontally, obovate, flat; terminal umbels of about 10 flowers, evenly spaced, not lop-sided; flowers stalks not woolly; calyx of 4 unequal, free, green sepals, to 3.5mm long, not woolly on outside; corolla urn-shaped, to 7mm long, pale to dark pink, usually darker on sunlit side, or pure white; stamens 8, included; anthers with spurs; style-end emergent; nectar produced.
Blooms in summer (and early autumn).
Only found in western Ireland (counties Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal) and northern Spain. Plants of Irish origin are hardy to zone 7 with protection, while the taller, more vigorous plants of Spanish origin vary from zone 8 to zone 7. All require damp, lime-free soil, and provide neat ground-cover but are suspect in dry conditions. Erica mackayana produces new shoots from the roots which can be detached to form new plants.
Closely related to cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) and also to the Andévalo heath (Erica andevalensis):-

• Erica mackayana f. eburnea : corolla pure white.
• Erica mackayana f. mackayana : corolla pink (not white).
• Erica mackayana f. multiplicata : flowers with additional 'petals' ('semi-double' to 'double')." from The Heather Society.

"Erica mackayana grows naturally in boggy ground in W. Ireland and NW Spain.  It makes a neat ground cover that always attracts attention.  It is a superb foliage plant.  It is a lime hater.  Struggles in very dry spots.  Foliage is damaged at 10 degrees.  We think some in this group are hardy to only Zone 8. With protection, it can be grown in Zone 7 (0 degrees F) and warmer.  Rare plants in nurseries." from Heaths and Heathers in USA.
 

'Donegal'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

f. eburnea
'Doctor Ronald Gray'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Errigal Dusk'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'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

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

f. multiplicata 'Plena'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Plena'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Shining Light'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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 ssp anthura
  This sub-species is found bordering the Adriatic and in Turkey having close inflorescences like Erica vagans, brown stems and leaves to 7mm usually spreading. It is hardier than the other sub-species.
• Erica manipuliflora ssp manipiliflora
  The typical sub-species found in the central and eastern Aegean area, has narrow interrupted inflorescenses, very short erect leaves and whitish stems. Likely to suffer damage at temperatures below -10 degrees Centigrade." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small."
   

Species: Erica manipuliflora:-

"Erica manipuliflora : whorled heath
synonym: Erica verticillata (invalid).
Shrub, erect or spreading or prostrate (especially at high altitude), to 4m tall; leaves in whorls of 3 or 4, to 9mm long; flowers 1–5 in axillary umbels on very short shoots; calyx of 4 free sepals or 4-lobed with unequal lobes fused at base; corolla bell-shaped, to 4.5 mm long, in varying shades of mauve or pink, or rarely white (Erica manipuliflora f. albiflora); stamens 8, emergent; anther without spurs; nectar produced.
Blooms in late summer and autumn.
An eastern Mediterranean species occurring from Italy (Apulia) through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece (including Crete, and the Ionian and Aegean islands), Turkey, northern Cyprus, Syria, and Lebanon. It is lime-tolerant and happily grows on magnesium-deficient soils. Suitable for hardiness zone 8.
Closely related to Cornish heath (Erica vagans). Only pink-flowered cultivars are commercially available at present but white-flowered plants are known in cultivation (one clone has been named 'Olivia Hall' but it is not commercially available).

• Erica manipuliflora " from The Heather Society.

"Prep the soil. Heaths and heathers are acid lovers, preferring a soil pH of 4.5-5.5. Although some heaths are more tolerant of alkaline soil, particularly Irish heath (Erica erigena), most types will struggle. Work in damp peat moss or other acidic soil amendments, particularly if your soil is pH neutral (6.5-7.5). Till or loosen the soil and dig holes twice as wide as each plant's root ball to encourage roots to spread.
Provide drainage. Without good drainage, these plants just won't grow. For clay soil (which provides neither the right pH nor proper drainage), build a raised bed with equal parts topsoil, sand, and composted bark or peat moss, which will create acidic soil that properly drains. For boggy soil (which may be the right pH but too wet), make a modest berm." from Better Homes and Gardens in America.

"Erica manipuliflora originate in the eastern Mediterranean.  They are tall and have a spiky habit.  One of the few fragrant Ericas.  They are lime tolerant.  Rarely found in nurseries.  Some formerly in this group are now listed under Erica x griffithsii.
Hardy to Zone 7 (0 degrees) with protection and warmer." from Heaths and Heathers.
 

Erica manipuliflora

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Corfu'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Don Richards'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica manipuliflora ssp anthura
'Korcula'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica manipuliflora ssp manipuliflora
'Aldeburgh'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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.
 

"Erica x oldenburgensis : Oldenburg heath

The 2 varieties:-

• ‘Ammerland’
  Soft pink flowers, March-May, with mid-green foliage which is tipped with vivid orange in spring. Looking more like Erica arborea, it has a much more compact and rounded habit. Named after a region in northern Germany.
• ‘Oldenburg’
  White flowers, March-May, with mid-green Erica arborea like foliage. Broad spreading habit. This hybrid was deliberately raised by Kurt Kramer in Germany and named after the region in which he lives." from The Heather Society.
   

"Prep the soil. Heaths and heathers are acid lovers, preferring a soil pH of 4.5-5.5. Although some heaths are more tolerant of alkaline soil, particularly Irish heath (Erica erigena), most types will struggle. Work in damp peat moss or other acidic soil amendments, particularly if your soil is pH neutral (6.5-7.5). Till or loosen the soil and dig holes twice as wide as each plant's root ball to encourage roots to spread.
Provide drainage. Without good drainage, these plants just won't grow. For clay soil (which provides neither the right pH nor proper drainage), build a raised bed with equal parts topsoil, sand, and composted bark or peat moss, which will create acidic soil that properly drains. For boggy soil (which may be the right pH but too wet), make a modest berm." from Better Homes and Gardens in America.
 

ammerland

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

oldenburgh

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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.
 

Species - Erica spiculifolia:-

"This evergreen shrublet found in acid, sub-alpine regions of the Balkan peninsula and northern Turkey. It has small, needle-like dark green leaves with short dense racemes of usually pink flowers which are held above the plant, usually in June but sometimes later. A dwarf plant which is highly recommended for the small heather garden as it flowers between the winter-flowering and early summer-flowering heathers. It requires a lime-free soil and thrives best in full sun." from Spring Park Nursery.

"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.
 

Erica spiculifolia

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Erica spiculifolia 'Balkan Rose'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

Species: Erica x stuartii:-

"Erica x stuartii : Praeger's heath, Stuart's heath
synonym: Erica x praegeri

Low shrub usually less than 0.5m tall; young shoots often brightly coloured; leaves in whorls of 4, more or less evenly spaced but internodes increasing in length towards inflorescence; flowers in terminal umbel; calyx with 4 separate, often unequal sepals, to 3mm long; corolla urn-shaped, pink; stamens 8, included; anthers with spurs; nectar produced, conspicuous.

Blooms in summer and autumn.

Praeger's heath is a naturally occurring hybrid between Mackay's heath (Erica mackayana) and cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) which has been known for a long time from Connemara and Donegal but also occurs in Kerry and has recently been reported from northern Spain. Its habit and cultural requirements are similar to those for the Irish clones of Mackay's heath. All the named cultivars exhibit brightly coloured spring growth and are suitable for hardiness zone 7.

• Erica x stuartii." from The Heather Society.

"Erica x stuartii natural hybrid of Erica mackaiana and Erica tetralix.  It prefers acid soil.  Unfortunately, these are virtually unknown by American gardeners.  When we take them to sales, they are top sellers in spring with their beautiful tip color.

Zones 5 (-20 degrees) and warmer." from Heaths and Heathers.
 

'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

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

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

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Irish Orange'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Nacung'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

'Stuartii'

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Spring Mar-May

Summer Jun-Aug

Autumn Sep-Nov

Winter Dec-Feb

Site design and content copyright ©May 2012.
Page structure amended January 2013.
Index pages added with thumbnails November 2018.
Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.

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

Other Heathers Index
with
Description in Table row 1
for
each other heather cultivar
Other Heather Index

 

Description in table row 1 with
Flower and Form in table row 2 and Foliage Photos in row 3
for
each other heather cultivar
Other Heather 1
Other Heather 2
Other Heather 3
Other Heather 4
 

"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.

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 mackayana

"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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

'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 ssp anthura
  This sub-species is found bordering the Adriatic and in Turkey having close inflorescences like Erica vagans, brown stems and leaves to 7mm usually spreading. It is hardier than the other sub-species.
• Erica manipuliflora ssp manipiliflora
  The typical sub-species found in the central and eastern Aegean area, has narrow interrupted inflorescenses, very short erect leaves and whitish stems. Likely to suffer damage at temperatures below -10 degrees Centigrade." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small."
   

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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

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." from The Handy Guide to Heathers by David and Anne Small.
 

'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'