Heather - an overview of the varieties

Various heather plants

The following table shows you some of the most interesting heather plants for home gardens.

Heather - Art	German name	Habit	Stature	blossom	Heyday
Andromeda polifolia	Rosemary heather	compact	approx. 20 to 30 cm	mostly pink or white	May to August
Arctostapyhlos uva-ursi	Real bearberry	creeping	up to 50 cm	pink white	March to June
Erica spiculifolia	Corn heather	Dwarf shrub	up to 20 cm	white, red, pink, purple	June to August
Cassiope	Schuppenheide	Dwarf shrub	up to approx. 50 cm	White	May
Empetrum nigrum	Black crowberry	prostrate	up to 25 cm	purple pink	May
Erica arborea	Tree heather	Dwarf shrub	up to 100 cm	White	April to May
Gaultheria miqueliana	Shamberry	low	up to 30 cm	White	June to July
Gautheria procumbens	Procid berry	carpeting	up to 15 cm	light pink	July to August
Gaultheria shallon	Big shamberry	shrub	up to 60 cm	white or red	June to July
Ledum palustre	Swamp porst	shrub	up to 100 cm	White	May to June
Linnaea borealis	Moss bells	creeping	up to 20 cm	pink	June to August
Phyllodoce empetriformis	Moosheide	shrub	up to 20 cm	light pink	May to June
Vaccinium	blueberries	upright or creeping	up to 50 cm	white or pink	May to June
Calluna vulgaris	Common heather	upright or creeping	up to approx. 50 cm	various	July to November
Erica carnea	Snow heather	upright or creeping	up to approx. 20 cm	various	December to April

The different varieties of winter or snow heather are of great importance, especially for autumn and winter culture on the balcony and terrace.

Erica carnea - cultivar	Habit	Stature	leaves	Flower color	Heyday
Alba	cushion-shaped	up to 20 cm	dark green	White	February - May
Atroruba	cushion-shaped	up to 20 cm	dark green	red	March April
Challenger	cushioning	up to 25 cm	gray-green	red	January - April
December Red	clumping	up to 25 cm	dark green	deep pink	December - March
Eve	compact	up to 20 cm	dark green	light pink	February March
Foxhollow	relaxed	up to 20 cm	yellow-green	light pink	February-May
Golden Starlett	compact	up to 15 cm	yellow-green	White	March April
Isabell	flat	up to 20 cm	dark green	White	February - April
March Seedling	upright	up to 25 cm	dark green	pink	February - May
Natalie	compact	up to 20 cm	dark green	red	February - April
Rosalie	flat	up to 20 cm	dark green	pink	March April
Ruby fire	bushy	up to 20 cm	dark green	strong pink	January - April

The different varieties of the popular common heather are also very suitable for both cultivation in planters and in (stone) gardens.

Calluna vulgaris - cultivar	Habit	Stature	leaves	Flower color	Heyday
Allegro	upright	up to 45 cm	dark green	purple	August to September
Annabel	upright	up to 30 cm	gray-green	dark pink	August to October
Boskoop	upright	up to 30 cm	yellow-green	violet	August to September
County Wicklow	low	up to 30 cm	light green	pink	August to September
Darkness	upright	up to 30 cm	pale green	red	August to October
David Hagenaars	upright	up to 40 cm	bright yellow	pink	August - October
Elsie Purnell	upright	up to 40 cm	silvery gray	light pink	August to October
Gold Haze	compact	up to 30 cm	light yellow	White	August to September
Hammondii	upright	up to 40 cm	light green	White	August to September
JH Hamilton	wide	up to 20 cm	dark green	salmon pink	August to October
Jana	upright	up to 30 cm	gray-green	red	September to November
Silver Knight	upright	up to 40 cm	silver gray	lilac pink	August to October
Zorro	upright	approx. 30 cm	yellow	no	no
Velvet Fascination	upright	approx. 50 cm	silver gray	White	August to October