Gardening Trees, Shrubs & Vines Shrubs Heather By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 2, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Heather Overview Description Blooming in winter and early spring when many other plants are taking a much-deserved break from the bloom scene, heathers are a welcome addition to beds and borders. Many varieties bloom in summer and autumn. Also commonly called heath, hundreds of different varieties of this evergreen shrub exist. Some sport dark green needlelike leaves, while others are cloaked with tiny silver, chartreuse, or blue-green leaves. Many popular cultivars are low-growing, standing 8-12 inches tall. They form a matlike carpet of fine-needle foliage that is decorated with white or pink bell-shape flowers for months at a time. Plant heather among medium to large shrubs, and it will serve as a pretty and effective groundcover by suppressing weeds. It also thrives in rock gardens. Heather grows best in full sun or part shade and quick-draining soil. It will not tolerate clay or slow-draining soil. Genus Name Erica Common Name Heather Plant Type Perennial, Shrub Light Part Sun, Sun Height 3 to 8 feet Width null to 4 feet Flower Color Blue, Pink, Purple, White Foliage Color Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold, Gray/Silver Season Features Spring Bloom, Winter Bloom, Winter Interest Special Features Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance Zones 10, 6, 7, 8, 9 Propagation Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Drought Tolerant, Groundcover More varieties for Heather Bell heather Erica cinerea is a compact shrub with large clusters of pink, white, or purple flowers. Bell heather blooms in summer and fall. It grows 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Zones 6-8 more ideas to improve your landscape More Videos » Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit