Winter Heath

A flower renowned for its ability to bloom even in the harshest of climates, the Winter Heath represents a plant originating from Europe and which is botanically known as the Erica Carnea genus. This genus represents the evergreen plants and it’s cultivated as an ornamental plant, managing to fill the remaining space in a garden by covering extensively the soil.

Known to be a dwarf evergreen, the Winter Heath flower spreads itself over a 3 feet width and can reach up to 1 feet in height. The plant doesn’t require a difficult nurturing process, as it has been documented it can last up to 45 years without any special attention. Used with the harsh conditions, the Winter Heath adapts itself easily to any type of soil and to the lowest temperatures. Even if the temperature outside is measured at zero degrees Celsius; the flowers produced by the Winter Heath don’t frost or die out from the cold. Very resistant indeed, the Winter Heath can bloom starting with the winter season and also in the spring. So if you want to learn how to grow flowers, you might as well start with this lovely and unique one, because it is not fussy and will provide great terrain for practice.

Cultivators can recognize a mature Winter Heath plant by the size of its extension to the ground; if it’s spread on more than 2 feet on the ground then it means the flower has reached its maturity, if not, the flower tends to have a more erect appearance, its extension measuring less than 1 feet. The Winter Heath is easily recognizable through its full and abundant foliage of green leaves that give the impression of lance. The flowers are impressive and numerous and they usually occur on red, white or lilac. Because they are so numerous, the flowers can give the impression of being a sole one, like a bouquet.

Cultivated worldwide as a garden-ornamental flower, the Winter Heath is not very pretentious as it can survive low temperatures and can make of any garden a vegetal paradise. Some conditions are yet to be respected if you want to grow a healthy Winter Heath flower. Some of these conditions are: a large space to give room for the plant to expand its foliage, sunlight to help it feed properly and last but not least, an unfertilized soil. Remember that this flower is renowned for its resistance and ability to reach maturity even if the best conditions are not provided.

The story has it that this flower was brought to England by a woman who started cultivating this plant she found on the fields of the Italian Alps back in the 1920.What started as a floral experiment made by a Scotland woman has developed later into becoming today’s most cultivated heath. Most people preoccupied in gardening have at least one Winter Heath flower in their gardens, and also the plant is known to be used at decorating residential area, replacing the dull green hedge with the beautiful dense foliage and the bell-shaped colorful flowers of this evergreen.

Due to its ability to bloom even in the wintertime, the Winter Heath flower has become very popular amongst cultivators, as they have find a way to preserve their gardens even in the harshest of conditions. The gardens during wintertime may seem a bit depressing and gray, but this flower somehow manages to bring life and color to your garden and also, to bring vegetation to your home. Amongst some popular cultivars we could mention the Ann Sparks Winter Heath or the Aurea Winter Heath, both of them approaching unique and attractive colors.

Winter Heath Pictures Gallery

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