The Basics on Heaths, Heathers, and Similar Plants

Anyone who has visited the moorlands and highlands of Europe, especially the British Isles, will be familiar with heath and heather since they are a major constituent of these habitats.  Heath (Erica spp.) and Heather (Calluna vulgaris) are members of the Ericaceous Family of plants hence have similar cultural requirements as the Rhododendrons.

Soil

The success of any garden depends on proper soil preparation.  Ideal soil for heather is slightly acidic, has excellent drainage and has generous amounts of peat moss or compost mixed in to retain moisture.  Heather does not survive in a soil that is fertile.

In the garden, they seem to thrive on a Spartan diet provided by a combination of peat, sand and leaf mold.  Like Rhododendrons, they are confirmed acid-lovers so never add lime to their growing area.  They are not heavy feeders so a topdressing of compost each spring will often provide all the nutrients they require.  They also require a well-drained soil;  boggy soil will quickly kill them.        

Sun

Full sun is a must, especially for heathers.  Even part-shade will cause heathers to grow straggly and produce few flowers; heaths are a little more forgiving.  The mild-winter areas in their native haunts allow them to grow in open, windswept locations, but in Atlantic Canada, winter protection is advised.  In windy areas with little snow, they often burn badly.  Evergreen boughs placed vertically into the ground around the plants will help filter the wind and allow drifting snow to gather around the plants.  Heaths, heathers and their close relatives are mostly rated for zone 5-6, so it’s the coastal areas of Atlantic Canada where they do best, although given winter protection, they will survive in more inland areas.

Planting

After you have decided the lay out of the garden and the soil is prepared, you may begin.  After removing the plant from the pot, loosen the roots with your fingers a bit.  If the soil ball is on the dry side, soak it first.  If the roots are a solid mass, take a sharp knife and slice down the four sides about ½ “ and cut 1” off the bottom.  This stimulates new root growth into the freshly prepared soil.  I often take a handful of soil and work it into the cuts to separate them.  Place the plant into the prepared hole and back-fill with the improved soil  Firm soil well around the roots, making a well around each plant to hold water until it can seep down to the root zone.

Mulching retains moisture near the surface of the soil, keeps the surface soil cool and prevents water and soil erosion.  If you are planting a large area, mulching as you go along is easiest.  Use a pine bark or pine needle mulch about 3” thick around and between each plant.  If you are planting in the late summer or fall, you should follow the same procedure though you may want to cut back some of the long predominant branches that have grown that season.  You want the existing root system to form new roots and not have the stress of supporting heavy top growth that you may be pruning in the spring anyway. Water the new plants well, making sure that water has penetrated.

Calluna vulgaris-Heather

Heathers have scale-like leaves and mostly upright stems that may reach to 60 cm on some cultivars.  They bloom from late July till frost, depending on the cultivar.  Flowers come in white, pink, red and purple shades.  Individual flowers are small and bell-shaped but are produced in terminal spikes.  Some cultivars have colored foliage which may be yellow, orange, red or grey.  Some turn purplish, reddish or chocolate-colored in winter, zone 5.

Erica carnea-Spring Heath

Although often confused with heathers, heaths have needle-like foliage, more mat-like growth habit and are mostly spring-blooming.  In fact, they are reall harbingers of spring.  In Atlantic Canada, they begin flowering in late March-early April.  They will even start blooming under the snow!  Flowers are narrow, urn-shaped and come in shades of white, pink, purple and red (much them same as heathers). Like the heathers, colored-foliage cultivars also exist.  Zone 5.