About
Calluna vulgaris 'Athene' PBR (Garden Girls Series) is a small evergreen shrub characterized by its upright growth habit and slender green foliage. From September to November, it displays elongated clusters of small reddish flower buds nestled within a dark red calyx, which remain closed and do not open, showcasing a unique bud-blooming trait.
About the genus
Calluna consists of compact, evergreen shrubs that feature stems covered in small, overlapping leaves. At their tips, these plants bear spike-like clusters of diminutive, four-petaled flowers, each adorned with colored calyces.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Alpine Rockery, Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy, Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Coastal, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens, Rock garden
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in well-drained acidic soil in full sun. Flowers swell to bud, but do not open.
- Pruning
- Trim off old flowering stems after flowering to keep compact. Pruning group 10.
- Propagation
- Sow seed in spring. Propagate by division, layering shoots in spring/summer or planting softwood cuttings in a cold frame in summer.
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and other fungal diseases