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Great Design Plant: Scotch Heather
The moors aren't all moody, as this prettily colored evergreen shrub proves. Plant it en masse for an epic romance in your own garden
While the moors of England and hills of Scotland have served as backdrops in some of the most chilling and brutal literary tales, they have also captured hearts as settings for some of the most romantic ones. And blanketing these moor landscapes in wonderful color is often Calluna vulgaris, commonly known as Scotch heather. An old-world plant with a lengthy history of cultivation and rituals, Scotch heather has come into its own as an equally beautiful and useful landscape shrub, serving as more than just an icon of Scottish heritage and mystique — though that definitely doesn't hurt.
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by fisherbray
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| Botanical name: Calluna vulgaris (and cultivars) Common names: Scotch heather, ling USDA zones: 3 to 10 (find your zone) Water requirement: Regular; do not overwater Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: Varies from ground cover to 3 feet tall Benefits and tolerances: Attracts bees and butterflies; can tolerate indirect coastal conditions; can also regenerate from some fires Seasonal interest: Blooms July through October (some varieties even longer) When to plant: Late spring into summer (after the last frost) |
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| Shown: Calluna vulgaris 'Long White' |
by Markku Mestilä
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Distinguishing traits. More than 1,000 cultivars comprise Calluna vulgaris, making nearly every size, color and shape of heather possible. Scotch heather is an evergreen mounding shrub, ranging from dwarf ground covers to midsize shrubs. A dense, upright branching structure, covered year-round in small, scaly leaves, creates a solid, matlike appearance.
Only up close can you see how delicate and soft Scotch heather is. Miniature bell-shaped flowers erupt in spikes from summer through fall, in colors ranging from white and pale pink to pink and even lavender or purple. Some flowers will even persist on the stems through winter. The color diversity is also true for its foliage — from soft greens and grays to vivid chartreuse or yellow. If you plant it in full sun, the foliage may develop a red, bronzy or even silvery hue in winter, making for striking seasonal garden interest. New foliage erupts in spring, and some say it's even more spectacular than when the plant is flowering.
Only up close can you see how delicate and soft Scotch heather is. Miniature bell-shaped flowers erupt in spikes from summer through fall, in colors ranging from white and pale pink to pink and even lavender or purple. Some flowers will even persist on the stems through winter. The color diversity is also true for its foliage — from soft greens and grays to vivid chartreuse or yellow. If you plant it in full sun, the foliage may develop a red, bronzy or even silvery hue in winter, making for striking seasonal garden interest. New foliage erupts in spring, and some say it's even more spectacular than when the plant is flowering.
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by Bob Osborn
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by Far Out Flora
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| How to use it. Heathers are found on the moors and heaths of the United Kingdom and Europe, creating a naturally striking setting. Experiment with Scotch heather by planting it en masse with other plants that also prefer acidic soil. But with thousands of heathers to choose from (both Calluna and Erica), why not try a massed planting with just heathers? The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens have done just that, with Calluna Vulgaris 'Foxii Nana' shown here planted beside Erica Cinerea 'Golden Drop' in a perfectly executed bed. While the different heathers may bloom at different times, vary in height and produce different-colored flowers and foliage, a similar texture and habit create design continuity without uniformity. |
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by gudnysigga
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| Alternatively, try interspersing colorful edibles or herbs among Scotch heather as a woodland perennial accent. More on mixing ornamentals and edibles |
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by Hans-Christian
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| Planting notes. Scotch heather prefers full sun. While you should avoid overwatering it, be sure to maintain adequate moisture. While It’s a very resilient and extremely cold-hardy plant, it also isn’t the easiest to grow and can be very particular about soil. Scotch heather requires sandy, peaty and very well-drained soil. It prefers very acidic soil with no nitrogen — the Pacific Northwest is a well-balanced region for the genus. Otherwise be sure to lightly amend the soil with acidic plant food in late winter and early summer. This also helps to encourage flowering. |
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by Bob Osborn
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If you're growing Scotch heather in extremely cold climates, low-growing varieties may prove to be the most successful. Snow cover will protect roots and the plant over winter and enable it to regenerate in spring. The exact opposite applies to hot, muggy regions like the American Southeast. Low-growing varieties there are more succeptible to fungal disease, which is much more prevelant in the hot, humid South — and big temperature swings only increase the likelihood of this disease.
After blooming is finished, prune the plant back, remove spent flowers and pinch the tips. This will ensure a clean and healthy plant for the next season.
More: Relish the Romance of a Slovenian Garden
After blooming is finished, prune the plant back, remove spent flowers and pinch the tips. This will ensure a clean and healthy plant for the next season.
More: Relish the Romance of a Slovenian Garden
Ideabook updated on Oct. 16, 2012.
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Thanks for sharing your insight on the plant. and it's very interesting to hear how you have seen it grow. With plants that can handle regular water but also need very quick-draining soil, I have often heard it advised that you don't want to overwater if there will be standing water for a prolonged amount of time.
Encyclopedia Britannica and the Sunset Western Garden Book, among other botanical resources, list the common name for Calluna vuglaris as "Scotch" heather. (Though in no way do they, or I, indicate that Scotch is the correct adjective to identify anyone or anything Scottish. This is an isolated case of nomenclature)
I have also read that Scotch (the beverage) stems from ancient heather-flavored ales drank in this region.
Just down the road a bit from the Mendo Bot Garden, in Gualala CA , is a large heather garden that can be seen from highway 1. We planted almost 2500 heathers, callunas, and heaths in the mid 1990's and the garden continues to grow by a 1/2 acre every few years. It is occasionally open to the public during 'garden touring season, and worth the visit.
Except now, with every little bump a 8 yr old makes, it drops half its little petals (I know, the math doesn't work out as how can a dead plant lose half of its foliage every time you bump it for months. But it does! Some strange space continuum...). She also had to clean off the counter every week.
People must think it strange when she goes running away from heather!
She would love the pictures thought. And maybe out in the wild, it would be okay!
Check out this very helpful video from Gen Schmidt of North Coast Gardening — a former contributor and friend to Houzz — she will show you that once the heather blooms fade, you will want to cut beneath the spent flower stalks in order to prevent the plants from getting too sparse or leggy.
I'm sure they will naturally take care of themselves, as native plants doubtfully were meticulously pruned, but by pruning the plants back once a year you ensure fuller, healthier and more manicured growth.
http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2008/11/how-to-prune-heaths-and-heathers/
For those of us who rely on proper nomenclature , using the correct etymology helps us to help others in accurately learning and communicating about plants.
Sure , some folks take their heritage seriously and we should give them that respect. I think that is just common courtesy.
If you are bothered by the comments ( I read most of them as being light hearted ) then I suppose you do not have to read them thus sparing yourself the annoyance.
Houzz is a wonderful site that provides inspiration on a variety of levels. I don’t see the harm in shedding a little bit of education in regards to the proper latin names of plants.
It can only strengthen the reputation of the site as being one that prides itself on good and accurate information.
As a transplanted Brit, I am interested in how the English language can change when it crosses the Atlantic. And for a little, very unscientific, research, I Googled both "Scottish" and "Scotch" heather. The former has about 9,000,000 entries, and the latter has 4,000,000 so we must conclude that both versions are in use. Sorry to be so lengthy.
The only time we use it as a noun is in referring to our national drink, whisky!
Great article and love this site. OOOOOPs sorry everyone didn't read the other comments from fellow Scots!!!