Although there is a heather in flower for every month of the year, they are at their most useful — to gardeners and bees — between December and April, when the choice of flowering plant is so limited. The plants we refer to as winter heather are actually three different groups of plants: Calluna, Erica and Daboecia.
Even though they appear very similar at first glance, they are easy to tell apart. Calluna has almost scaly stems, created by overlapping leaves, Erica has leaves like needles, and Daboecia is notable for producing much larger flowers, and for more elliptical leaves. At this time of the year Erica is the heather to look out for; in particular Erica carnea and Erica x darleyensis, which appear in shades of pink, purple and white.
Winter flowering heather is often at its most striking when a single variety is massed together in a large round pot. If you prefer a mixed container try the classic partnership of Cyclamen fuchsia, pink heather and a variegated trailing ivy. In a sheltered spot you can replace the ivy with a silver-leaved filler such as curry plant (Helichrysum) or senecio (Senecio cineraria ‘Silver Dust’) to ramp up the contrast. In a smaller pot, a simple combination of pink heather and equally pink primula will brighten the winter gloom.
If you prefer something a little more pared back, consider pairing winter flowering heathers with an evergreen grass such as blue fescue (Festuca glauca) or orange New Zealand sedge (Carex testacea).
How to grow winter heather
Heather grows very fast, which makes it a good-value plant to use as seasonal bedding. Although most heather is partial to moist, free-draining soil, take this speedy growth into account if you are planting your heathers in the ground and leave a generous 45-50cm between plants. This will look as if there are big gaps at first, but they will soon knit together to form a seamless carpet. Unless intended as a short-term planting, any closer will produce congested, unhappy and unhealthy plants. Choose an open position, in full sun, plant deeply and water well until established.
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Caring for your heather is very simple. Water regularly during dry periods and limit any pruning to early spring, straight after flowering. Like lavender, these winter-flowering heathers do not regenerate well from old wood and will often die if cut back too hard. Aim to prune back any shoots that have flowered to within 1-2cm of previous growth.
Alice’s top varieties
Erica carnea f. alba ‘Springwood White’
A popular old variety with pure white flowers and attractive chocolate-brown anthers. These smother the plant from January to May. This variety has a lovely trailing habit and will grow 15cm tall and 40cm across, forming a neat groundcover of prostrate stems.
Erica carnea f. alba ‘Whitehall’
White flowers cover this heather from January to March, appearing from afar, as if the whole plant is blanketed with snow. This upright variety grows 30cm tall and only 20cm wide, so is particularly suitable for a mixed-container planting.
Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’
Deep-pink blooms smother this evergreen heather from January to May, deepening to even richer tones of crimson as they age. Exceptionally low-growing at 15cm tall, it will spread to 45cm. Although acid soil is preferred, you will find it tolerates a degree of alkalinity and even partial shade.
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Erica x darleyensis ‘Furzey’
This low heather can be expected to grow 60cm in spread, but only half this in height. Fresh, medium-green, lance-shaped leaves are evergreen, but show pink tips in spring. This colouring of the foliage follows on from a floriferous winter in which the plant festoons with lilac-pink flowers from December to May.
Erica x darleyensis ‘Ghost Hills’
This large form is particularly useful as groundcover, growing 50cm tall and spreading up to 1m. The flowers, which appear later than many other varieties, between February and April, are palest pink, but deepen with age. The foliage shows elegant white tips in spring.
Erica x darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Red’
This variety is a cross between the award-winning heather Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’ and the late spring-flowering Irish heath Erica erigena ‘Brightness’. Expect a large plant, 45cm tall and 60cm wide, with deep-magenta flowers from January to April and bronzed foliage.