About
Calluna vulgaris 'Iris van Leyen' is a resilient evergreen shrub that typically reaches a height of 21-25 cm and can spread 31-45 cm wide. Its vivid yellow leaves transition to a bronze hue during the winter months. This variety produces sparse purple blooms from summer into autumn.
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
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, 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
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Coastal
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in well-drained, acidic soil in full sun. See Hardy heathers for further advice
- Pruning
- Pruning group 10
- Propagation
- Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and other fungal diseases