The soft carpet of color this plant provides during a typical dreary winter day is breathtaking. Winter Heath is a fantastic evergreen groundcover providing color and textural interest from January through April. Unlike the summer Heather varieties (Culluna vulgaris) the winter varieties (Erica carnea, Erica darleyensis) are less temperamental, not requiring the acid soil to thrive, instead they will also grow well in alkaline soil. Like all Heather and Heath, they flower and thrive best in full sun, part shade, with moist, well drained soil. It is essential not to over fertilize with nitrogen. Instead fertilize with a rhododendron fertilizer during early spring. Usually, little pruning is required for the Winter Heaths, however to keep a well shaped bushy appearance, as well as, promote flowering sheering this shrub after flowering can be beneficial. Pest and disease are rare; however Heath and Heather are susceptible to various funguses, primarily Phytophthora root rot which can result during prolonged periods of warm, wet weather.

 

Colors range from white, light pink, dark pink, red, to purple

 

Foliage color varies from, green, silver, gold tinged with red, light yellow, bronze green.