- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- use
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Propagating bell heather
- cuttings
- What is the best planting time?
- Bell heather in a pot
- Pour bell heather
- Fertilize bell heather properly
- Cut bell heather properly
- hardy
- fungus
- pests
- sorts
Bell heathers attract attention with their bushy shape and the pink sea of flowers. There are now numerous varieties that expand the color palette. If you pay attention to their special requirements in terms of location and care, bell heathers prove to be long-lived dwarf shrubs.
The Glockenheide also occurs occasionally in the wild in Germany
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- use
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Propagating bell heather
- cuttings
- What is the best planting time?
- Bell heather in a pot
- Pour bell heather
- Fertilize bell heather properly
- Cut bell heather properly
- hardy
- fungus
- pests
- sorts
- Bogs, moors and bog forests
- Dwarf shrub heaths and mat grass lawns
- Damp heaths and banks of ponds
- Sand pits and forest clearings
- broom heathers
- juniper and pine
- Lungwort and Corydalis
- blueberries and cranberries
- Buckbean and Wood Anemone
- one part peat or peat substitute
- a part of bog soil
- three parts coniferous soil
- a part of sand
- Beauty Queens(R): Erica gracilis series. A cultivar with yellow foliage. Piston-shaped inflorescences with purplish-pink, red, or white flowers.
- Alba: Erica tetralix variety. Light gray to greenish foliage, silvery hairs. Flowers white, between June and October.
- pink star: Erica tetralix variety. Foliage silvery grey-green. Flowers light pink, from July to October.
- Con Underwood: Erica tetralix variety. Upright growth, grey-green foliage. Flowers dark colored, lilac to pink. Blooms from July to October.
origin
Behind the bell heather hides a plant of the Ericaceae, which bears the scientific name Erica tetralix. The species grows in Atlantic regions of Europe. It occurs in Spain and Portugal and northern France. Their area extends to England and Denmark. In Germany, the Glockenheide occurs mainly in the north-west German lowlands. The related species Erica gracilis is also often offered commercially as bell heather. She is originally from South Africa.
Natural habitats of the native bell heather:
growth
Bell heathers are evergreen dwarf shrubs whose shoots are woody and grow rigidly upright. They grow between 15 and 50 centimeters high and have reduced leaves resembling needles.
leaves
The needle-shaped leaves are between three and six millimeters long and are arranged in whorls. The leaves stand out sparsely from the stem and are ciliated with stiff hairs on their upper side. The leaf edge is curled down. This leaf shape is an adaptation to natural sites that are poor in nutrient salts.
blossom
The heather family develops a bushy to capitate inflorescence, which consists of five to 15 individual flowers. Each flower consists of four sepals and the same number of petals. These are fused into a bulbous tube and enclose eight stamens.
heyday
While Erica tetralix flowers between June and September, Erica gracilis flowers from September to December. In both species, the petals shine in pink tones. The numerous varieties expand the color palette with purple, red or white nuances. After the flowers have been pollinated, the petals remain. This makes the plants attractive as they simulate a long flowering period.
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fruit
Depending on the flowering period, the two types of bell heather bear fruit either in autumn or in spring. The capsule fruits open along preformed sutures, releasing the tiny seeds, which are blown with the wind. When the fruit ripens, the withered petals do not fall off, so the capsules are hidden deep in the crown.
use
Bell heaths enrich naturally designed heath gardens and bee pastures. They are suitable for planting bog beds and along the banks of bodies of water. The flowers are particularly effective when large areas are planted with the heather plants. They are perfect as ground cover and for planting on slopes. Due to their small growth height, the dwarf shrubs can be planted in bowls and balcony boxes (€109.00). They decorate balconies and terraces. Bell heathers are often used for planting graves.
Ideal combination partners:
Which location is suitable?
The dwarf shrubs prefer partially shaded locations with bright conditions. They grow best with plenty of morning and evening sun. The blazing midday sun does not cause any problems for the plants if sufficient water is available.
What soil does the plant need?
Bell heathers grow on nutrient-poor and moist substrates. Sandy and boggy to slightly peaty soils are ideal. The dwarf shrubs do not tolerate lime. The moister the soil, the more sun exposure bell heathers can tolerate. Dry conditions quickly cause the leaves to wither. Potting soil or special soil for rhododendrons has proven to be advantageous as a substrate. The soil can be used pure or mixed with sand.
Mix substrate yourself:
Propagating bell heather
Both Erica tetralix and the related Erica gracilis are successfully propagated by cuttings. Division and sinkers also produce offspring. Sowing is more difficult and is therefore not one of the standard methods.
division
During the spring you can dig up the root ball of the heather and break it up with a sharp knife. The sub-plants should have strong roots and several shoots so that they can grow well. Immediately plant the daughter plants in their place so that the roots do not dry out.
lowering
For this propagation method, a strong side shoot is bent to the ground and scored crosswise at the top. This part is fixed to the substrate with a stone so that the shoot tip is not covered. After regular watering, the sinker will develop roots within a few weeks and the shoot can be separated from the mother plant.
cuttings
From a strong mother plant, take cuttings that are about four to six inches long. The shoots can be slightly woody. Be careful not to crush the tissue at the cutting points. Put the shoots in a nutrient-poor substrate such as moorbed soil. An optimal climate with high humidity develops under a transparent cover. After a few weeks the cuttings will have developed roots.
What is the best planting time?
When the nurseries are full of bell heathers, they can be planted in the garden immediately. Loosen the substrate and dig the hole so deep that the root ball is about an inch covered with substrate. Before using the plant, the root ball should be immersed in a water bath. Be sure to water regularly for the first few weeks after planting.
Bell heather in a pot
Bell heathers are suitable for pot planting because they do not grow very high. The roots do not tolerate waterlogging. Cover the bottom of the pot with potsherds and stones so that the roots do not stand in the water. A planter with a drainage hole is ideal so that excess water can drain away. In pots, bell heathers adorn sunny to partially shaded balconies. Depending on the species, you should ensure adequate winter protection. Since the substrate in the bucket freezes faster, hardy varieties should also be protected from frost.
Pour bell heather
Erica gracilis and Erica tetralix have a higher water requirement. Drought quickly causes the dwarf shrubs to dry up. Check the moisture level of the substrate regularly during hot summer months. Potted plants need to be watered more often because the substrate dries out faster. Use lime-free water. Rainwater is ideal.
Fertilize bell heather properly
As plants of nutrient-poor locations, bell heathers rarely need fertilizer. Special fertilizers for azaleas and rhododendrons encourage growth spurts in the dwarf shrubs. Potted plants enjoy extra nutrients every four weeks. For these plants you can use a liquid flowering plant fertilizer (€10.47) in a low concentration.
Cut bell heather properly
Every year after flowering, the withered inflorescences can be cut off. This encourages the dwarf shrubs to form fresh shoots. They grow bushy and avoid internal balding. If you cut back bell heathers to about two thirds in the first year, the young plant will sprout particularly vigorously. In the following years you can cut the shrub back to just above the previous year's cutting height.
hardy
Not every bell heather is equally hardy. Erica gracilis, which originates from South Africa, tolerates temperatures in the single-digit minus range. Below -6 °C the roots freeze. Erica tetralix is very hardy and withstands lower temperatures down to double digits. Since the shrubs are evergreen, they need sufficient water even in winter. Water the plants on frost-free days to avoid drought stress.
Depending on the species and with the appropriate winter protection, potted plants can remain outside. Species that are not hardy spend the cold months in bright winter quarters with temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. Your root ball must not dry out in winter.
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fungus
Under suboptimal site conditions, fungi can spread. These can severely damage the plants and should be combated quickly.
mildew
The spores settle on the shoots and leaves and leave a mealy coating. You can fight the fungus with a mixture of ten percent whole milk and 90 percent water. Spray the affected plants regularly with the solution. Affected shoots should be cut off generously.
gray mold
The fungus colonizes rotten plant parts that develop as a result of waterlogging. The bushes dry up because they cannot maintain their water balance. Generously remove affected plant parts and roots. Allow the plant to air dry before planting the root ball.
If gray mold has spread in the bog bed, the plants should be placed in pots with sterile substrate in the meantime. Replace the substrate and plant the dwarf shrubs as soon as the risk of gray mold infestation has passed.
pests
Occasionally, bell heathers are attacked by pests that thrive in dry and warm conditions.
heather beetle
The pests eat leaves and shoot tips. Beetle larvae feed on the fine outer skin of the leaves, making them appear dried out. In the evening the beetles can be collected from the plants. A spray treatment with plant decoctions helps against larvae.
aphids
They can be combated with oil-based preparations. Mist the plants with neem or tea tree oil. The greasy film covers shoots and leaves, trapping the pests underneath.
tips
The rustic bell heather comes into its own in the silver zinc pot. In the galvanized watering can with patina, the flowering dwarf shrub embellishes cottage gardens.