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Common Heather Wikimedia Commons
Ericaceae

Common Heather

Calluna vulgaris

Good luck and admiration.

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Calluna
Native to
Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
evergreen shrub
Height
0.5-2 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
Acidic, sandy, well-drained, poor soil
Water
low to moderate
Hardiness
4-6
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • White heather is considered extremely lucky in Scotland, and brides traditionally carry it in their wedding bouquets.
  • Heather honey is a prized delicacy with a strong, distinctive flavor and an unusual gel-like consistency called thixotropy.
  • Calluna is the sole species in its genus and the dominant plant of vast moorland landscapes across Scotland and Northern Europe.
  • Heather ale is one of the oldest known styles of beer, brewed in Scotland for at least 4,000 years before hops were used.
  • Over 800 cultivated varieties of heather exist, with foliage colors ranging from green to gold, orange, and bronze.

Color meanings

0

good luck

1

admiration

2

solitude

Uses

  • heather honey production
  • moorland restoration
  • ground cover
  • traditional brewing