Heather Provides Beauty Year Round:
Heaths and Heathers, much like Lavenders, are another great set of plants for Ocean Shores. They are deer and salt resistant, winter hardy, drought tolerant, evergreen, and low maintenance as well. My sister, Renee Huenuqueo-Koval has a great collection, which she started 4 years ago, and I have just planted some in my new front yard, so it seems like a great time to do a little more research on them.
Being a biologist, the first question that comes to mind is: What is the difference between Heaths and Heathers? Both are members of the botanical family Ericaceae. Heathers are identified botanically as genus Calluna. Heaths are identified as genus Erica. Most articles discuss both Heaths and Heathers together, because the plants are so similar in maintenance and growing conditions. But there must be some significant differences.
Heaths most often bloom in winter from November to May. They have slightly smaller flowers, with leaf needles about half an inch long, and are often described as having a “soft and fluffy” texture. Flowers are most commonly pink, white, purple, or red. Most plants mature at about 12 inches high. Since they are less winter hardy than Heathers, they are more often seen in southern parts of the country.
Heathers, in contrast, most often bloom spring through fall, May to September. Their flowers are a bit larger, and they have scale-like leaves, which gives them a stiffer texture. Flowers are usually pink, although leaves come in a greater variety of colors such as reds, bronzes, and many shades of green. Plants display a greater variety of colors as the seasons change. You can find them anywhere from half an inch high to bushes two feet tall. Their ability to withstand cooler temperatures is why they are more often seen in northern areas, and why my sister, Renee currently has only Heathers in her garden.
But those distinctions are not hard and fast ways to distinguish between them. Many new species of both can be found to bloom any time of year, in any color white to pink to purple, and at all kinds of heights. Some are re-blooming, extending their bloom times. Each genus has species of varying types of foliage, which can also change with the seasons. The hardiness factor seems to be the best way to distinguish them, with the Heathers better suited for our cooler climate.
For the gardener, it is not that important to distinguish between them since their care is virtually identical. If you are used to Lavender, Heaths and Heathers will do simply fine with the same kind of care. Select an area with six or more hours of direct sunlight to display their full spectrum of leaf and flower color variations as the seasons change. You will find a greater selection in nurseries during the spring, which is a great time to plant them, but you can also plant Heathers in late summer or fall before the first frost. Plant both in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Perfection can be found by adding a little peat or good compost to our sandy soil at planting time. No more fertilizer will be necessary.
Although they have low water requirements, be sure not to let them dry out entirely during our dry summer months. Gently prune out any dead portions in the early spring or late winter before your plant blooms. After their flowers have faded give them an annual shearing, to your desired shape, taking out not more than 30% of the plant. This will keep them filled out and flourishing. Although they are deer resistant, one year a deer did nibble away at a few of my sister’s plants. That simply served as their yearly pruning! Her “nibbled” plants filled out and have been lush and beautiful ever since.
For questions, comments about this article or to share your gardening experiences, please contact Dauna at: dauna@gardenbytheseaoceanshores.org
This article was originally printed in The Ocean Observer, November 2020.
