Heather

Heater are evergreen low maintenance plants

Heaths and Heathers both belong to the Ericaceae family but they are botanically different and are divided into the 2 genus Erica and Calluna genus. They are almost identical with the same shades, form, and growth habits. However it’s the winter hardiness that separates the species apart.

Calluna is differentiated from Erica by its corolla and calyx each being in four parts instead of five. Heathers are cultivars of calluna vulgaris which some botanists have named them as Erica vulgaris AKA Scottish heathers and bloom abundantly in summer forming pretty low mounds in a range of colours. Then you have your true Heaths which belong to the Erica genus and consists of many cultivars such as the Erica carnea AKA Winter Heath which is known for blooming in winter under snow. True Heaths offer a lot more coloured varieties than the usual pink tones of the Heathers.

Another difference between the two is that heaths have needlelike leaves whereas the Heather plants have flat scalelike leaves. Heathers and Heaths enjoy an acid soil so provide plenty of peat containing compost in the topsoil. Trim your Heather Plants directly after the flowers fade away, they re-flower on new shoots, and by trimming the old ones away you will get more flowers.