Calluna vulgaris; 'Heather'

Heather can dominate large areas of heath, moor and bog, it likes poor acidic, sandy or peaty soils.It’s a low growing bushing evergreen with small leaves which are packed tightly along the stems. The purplish flowers appear in late summer.

The height of Calluna vulgaris is around 60cm to but can reach up to 150cm.The leaves are small 1-2cm long and hairy and grow in opposite pairs, each pair 90 degrees to the previous pair.

This heather was found in Platfields park, it have been used are an area of ornamental planting, in a very traditional style. White and purple heather has been planted in a circular pattern and in the centre is a mature Silver Birch. The only problem with this planting scheme was that areas of the heather had died out and bare earth was visible. As is was a formal planting bed the soil seemed of good quality and being fairly dry compared to the other areas which we have seen in Platfields.

In heathers native area such as moorland, it’s used as a source of food by a number of animals. Sheep and deer graze on the tips, grouse feed on the young shoots and seeds of the plant. Because of heathers denseness its often houses a number of animals for shelter, as there is often little shelter on the remote areas heather can grow.