Heather Plant – The Colorful Ornamental Bushes

Perennial shrubs that grow only as tall as fifty centimeters and have flowers that turn brown over the winter are scientifically called Calluna vulgaris. Commonly known as heather, these plants are abundant in Europe and Asia Minor.

Heather Plant – Tips for Planting

Calluna species thrive in hard cold weather as well as acidic, rocky soil like the fields in Scotland. The heather plant requires a minimum of 12 hours of sunlight if it is placed in a slightly shaded area, or six hours in a sunny location. Too much sunshine, however, causes the colors of the plants to be dull and their bodies to be leggy. To get the best results, these perennials should be planted in the spring or in the early days of autumn. The heather plant should have three-foot intervals from each other and two feet of spacing from other shrubs. The plants should be watered after planting, making sure that the soil is moist and not soggy. They can survive with little hydration after two or three years.

Mexican Heather – Brief Description

Cuphea hyssopifolia, a tender perennial native to Mexico, normally reaches one foot to eighteen inches in height. Simply known as the Mexican Heather, this variety produces general purple blooms and evergreen leaves, but some types may yield pink or white blossoms. It should be planted under full sunlight or partial shade, on soil with a pH level of 6.6 to 7.8. The Mexican Heather is ideal as a houseplant and looks best when sown after the final frost of the year. Perennial flowerbeds and walkways are also good places for this plant variety. Cuphea rarely needs pruning and requires little maintenance like some shrubs.

Scottish Heather – Legendary Flower

The purple sea of plants that can be seen on vast Scottish highlands, moors and glens in July and September are Heather species. The Scottish Heather that also comes in lilac and white, blooms thrice per year, in early autumn, early summer and late summer. Aside from being a beautiful addition to gardens and landscapes, this type of heather is made into ale and honey in Scotland. Heather Ale has been in existence for thousands of years, tracing back to the Picts tribes. Heather honey, which contains plenty of minerals, was used as medicine and potions and is currently processed in Scotland into jam and marmalade.