Plant Details

This is the true Scotch heather differing from Erica by offering colorful calyces as well as flowers. The cultivars bloom in different seasons, allowing color in the garden virtually year round. Foliage and flower color vary by cultivar. All have fine, soft, needlelike leaves, densely covering the small, upright growing branches. Flowers are small and bell-shaped. Heathers require fast draining, acid soil and little or no fertilization in most garden environments. They bloom well in full sun, and serve as an excellent groundcover in more shaded areas, especially inland. It is recommended that one shear the plants lightly following their bloom to encourage a fuller, more attractive plant for many years of pleasure.