Common heather is a low evergreen shrub with tiny scale-like leaves and pink to purple flower spikes in summer.
- Height
- 10–61 cm / 0.3–2 ft
- Spread
- 30–61 cm / 1–2 ft
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Moist, well-drained
- Flowering
- Fall, Summer
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Maintenance
- Medium
- USDA zones
- 4a–6b
Planting
Plant in acidic, sandy or rocky soil with good drainage, in sun or partial shade. It suits a rock garden, open slope or the front of a border in a cool climate.
Care
Keep the root zone from drying out, while maintaining drainage. Prune in early spring to limit bare, leggy growth; heavy feeding is unnecessary.
Before planting: Heat and humidity are limiting factors, and hot, humid summers can lead to stem rot.
Planting Common heather?
Find a landscaper nearby to help with planting and establishment.
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Sources & photo credit
Plant reference: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Content checked . Flowering seasons vary with local climate; USDA zones describe winter cold tolerance.
- Common heather: John Haslam · CC BY 2.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Bearberry: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- 'Dilys' geranium: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Adam's needle yucca: Carl Lewis · CC BY 2.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.