When picturesque heath landscapes stretch to the horizon or when an autumnal spectacle of colors takes place high up in the mountains, Besenheide has its floral fingers in the pie. The robust, long-lived dwarf shrub inspires with wonderful properties that no hobby gardener should miss. This profile will familiarize you with the fascinating attributes of a Calluna vulgaris.
The common heather flowers in autumn
A portrait of common heather - origin and appearance
In the planting plan for the authentic heather garden, common heather should not be missing. Heather has also reserved a regular place among the most popular balcony plants for autumn. The following profile sums up why this is so:
- Plant family of the heather family (Ericaceae)
- The only species within the genus Common heather (Calluna)
- Name of the species: Calluna vulgaris
- Common names: broom heather, heather, summer heather
- Growth form: densely branched, evergreen dwarf shrub
- Growth height: 10 to 30 cm, rarely up to 40 cm
- Flower forms: Bud bloomers or 4-petalled bell-shaped flowers in dense racemes
- Flowering period: August to December, summer heather from July to November
- Hardiness: fully hardy when planted out in a bed
- Site preferences: sunny, nutrient-poor, acidic pH of 4 to 5
- Possible uses: Heath garden, bog bed, bucket, flower box, (16.99 €) grave planting, vase decoration
- Toxic content: non-toxic
Broom heather owes its name to a traditional use. As soon as sheep rejected the woody shoots, the twigs were cut off, dried and bundled in ancient times. The robust branches are ideal for sweeping and sweeping indoors and outdoors.
Bud bloomers add color to winter
Among the numerous varieties of common heather there are a number of bud bloomers. It is characteristic of this special form that the flowers remain in the bud stage and do not open. This trait causes Calluna vulgaris to produce a colorful display in the midst of wintertime. Well-known varieties among the bud bloomers are red-flowering 'Bonita' and white-flowering 'Melanie'.
However, the long-lasting splendor of color has a fly in the ointment. For bees, bumblebees and butterflies, bud blossoms are a deceptive package, because there is no nectar to get hold of here. For a garden that is close to nature, we therefore recommend a mixed arrangement of normally flowering and bud-flowering heathers.
tips
Common heather is the ideal ground cover for all sunny locations with lean, acidic soil. Thanks to a wide range of varieties in multifaceted shades, Calluna vulgaris transforms large and small areas into an autumnal sea of flowers.