Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as "the" heather, because this generic term encompasses various heather plants. The Erika family, which is rich in species and varieties, is just as much a part of it as Calluna vulgaris, also known as heather. Although the closely related species have very similar requirements in terms of location and care, they flower at completely different times.
The flowering time of heather varies depending on the variety
Late flowering heather family
Many Erika species do not flower until late winter; This also applies to snow heather or winter heather (Erica carnea), which show their white, pink, violet, red or yellow flowers - depending on the variety - between December and April / May. The sometimes very different flowering times can be seen in the table below.
| Erica carnea - cultivar | flower color | heyday |
|---|---|---|
| Alba | White | February - May |
| Atroruba | Red | March April |
| challengers | Red | January - April |
| December Red | dark pink | December - March |
| Eve | light pink | February March |
| Golden Starlet | White | March April |
| Kramer's white | White | January - April |
| Isabel | White | February - April |
| March Seeding | pink | February - May |
| Natalie | bright red | February - April |
| ruby fire | pink | January - April |
| winter beauty | pink | November - April |
| winter sun | Red | March April |
Summer flowering heathers
The summer or common heather (Calluna vulgaris), which is important as a pasture for bees and butterflies, blooms from around August until autumn. Its lush bloom can be admired every year in the Lüneburg Heath, which is famous for this.
tips
Faded inflorescences should always be cut back regularly.