About

This low-growing evergreen shrub reaches a height of up to 30 cm, featuring upright stems adorned with small, scale-like leaves that are yellow-green, with an orange hue during summer, and transition to red in the fall and winter. In late summer and early autumn, it produces dense clusters of small lilac-pink blooms.

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

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H7

Plant details

Plant type

Shrubs

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Spread

0.5-1 metres

Time to full height

5-10 years

Suggested uses

City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens

Care notes

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, acidic soil in full sun. See Hardy heathers for more detailed advice

Pruning

Pruning group 10, in spring

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer, or by layering in spring

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and other fungal diseases