How to Grow Winter Heath and Favorite Varieties

This perennial sports midwinter flowers and colorful evergreen foliage, making it a garden star all year round

Winter heathland ( Ericacarnea , Zones 5 - 8) is astonishingly absent from our Northeastern gardens . Species in the heath genus ( Erica ) are often befuddle or lumped in with heather ( Callunavulgaris , Zones 4 - 7 ) . While heather cultivars can still be institute at many garden centers and online nurseries , you may bid to invalidate planting them . This specie has been reported as invasive in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest . While it may not appear to spread around one ’s garden , in wild areas , especially alpine , high - raising , and coastal areas , heather has been documented as affect the deracination of some aboriginal plants . get word moreaboutheaths and broom .

Heather ( left ) and wintertime heath ( ripe ) . Heather blossom in summer and downfall . picture : Michelle Gervais

wintertime heath blooms in winter and early give . photograph : Ann . E. Stratton

Why to Grow Winter Heaths

Winter heath boasts evergreen foliage and winter flowers

fortuitously , winter heathland , which is perhaps even more beautiful than heather , provides dense , evergreen leafage . It has colorful wintertime blooms in shades of white , pinkish , and purple in what can otherwise be a boring horticulture season for gardeners with cold winter . Since this species is hardy through USDA Zone 5 , wintertime heath are well - suited to most Northeastern gardens , providing yr - round pastime . This industrial plant is a dependable wintertime - blooper and can bloom any time from December through April depending on variety .

Foliage provides its own winter interest

Always translate the descriptions of each winter heathland variety carefully to get a line the foliage color , which can often change through the four season . Golden needle may twist shiny chartreuse in spring and wintertime or be blushed with pinkish or red , while moody green needles might ferment most violet once wintertime arrives . Many count the efflorescence color on winter heathland to be simply a gracious bonus , as the real show get along from the many shade and textures presented by the foliage .

Because these leave of absence are so endearing , many gardeners flora wintertime heathland in large drift , often mixing varieties to create a hodgepodge carpet of vividness . In a few years , once industrial plant grow and merge , the overall event provides four - season beauty with little care beyond some annual trim after bloom if you find the drying flowers untempting . Learn moreonhow to care for wintertime heath .

How to Grow Winter Heath

Easy to grow in most gardens , the secret to success with wintertime heath is middling bare .

Favorite Winter Heath Varieties

With over a hundred cultivar , there is no shortage of varieties to choose from . Some stellar selection include :

‘Golden Starlet’ winter heath

Erica carnea‘Golden Starlet , ’ Zones 5 - 8

The undimmed golden foliage that this variety sports in spring and summer turns to green with chartreuse tips in winter . Brilliant blanched wintertime flowers last near through bound .

‘Kramer’s Red’ Darley heath

Ericaxdarleyensis‘Kramer ’s reddish , ’ partition 5 - 8

This intercrossed cultivar offers bright pink - violet efflorescence in winter that first come out as chartreuse flower buds in autumn . Its dark light-green leaf get stunning bronze tints in cold atmospheric condition , becoming closely maroon and enhancing the wintertime show .

‘ Schneekuppe ’ wintertime heath has long - bloom white-hot flowers …

… and foliage that accept on a clear immature hue in late winter .

‘Schneekuppe’ winter heath

Erica carnea‘Schneekuppe , ’ Zones 5 - 8

A German launching , this wintertime heath has rich light-green foliage year round , which gets chartreuse tips in posterior wintertime and spring . The snowy flowers sparkle during the wintertime month , making the plant count as if it is frost with bits of snow .

With colorful evergreen plant foliage that wows all year long and witching small flower that bloom even in the dead of winter , winter heathland is worth adding to your garden .

See more of ourfavorite heath varieties here .

For more on wintertime interest in the Northeast , check out :

And for more Northeast regional account , clickhere .

Matt Mattus is the writer of two ledger : Mastering the Art of Flower GardeningandMastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening . He gardens in Worcester , Massachusetts .

Photos , unless otherwise noted : Matt Mattus

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Winter heath’s brightly colored flowers can bloom even in the dead of winter. Photo: Kerry Ann Moore

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