the flower expert

online flowers encyclopedia

Heather Flowers

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) Scotch Heather/Ling Heather, is an evergreen branching shrub. Heather flowers bloom in late summer. Wild species of Heather flowers are usually in purple or mauve shades.The flower's variuos cultivars come in colors ranging from white, through pink, a wide range of purples, and reds. Different varieties of Heather Flowers bloom from late July to November in the northern hemisphere. The flowers may turn brown but still remain on the plants over winter, and this can lead to interesting effects.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Ericales

Family

Ericaceae

Genus

Calluna

Heathers are found throughout Western Europe and in parts of northeastern North America and Siberia. Heather varieties are widely cultivated in rock gardens for cut flower arrangements. A low mound of handsome greenery topped by multiple spikes of colored flowers, heathers are native to Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia, Russia, and northern North America. The Heather plant is one of the primary plant species grown on the poor, acid, sandy soils typical of heaths.

In Heather flowers, the corolla is showy in true heaths, and in the Erica genus, heathers have showy pink or, rarely, white sepals that overlap the corolla. There are two types of Winter Heather plants. The lower, winter spreading types are grown as ground covers, in rockeries, containers or for spot color in flower and shrub beds. While the upright winter varieties are best suited for borders, spot color, massing or as container plants. The flowers of both types are ideal for small winter arrangements.

Facts About Heather Flower

• The scietntific name, Calluna vulgaris, in general, came from Calluna from the Greek Kallune - to clean or brush, as the twigs were used for making brooms and vulgaris from Latin, meaning common.
• Heather flowers are a traditional remedy in Swedish herbal medicine.
• The Heather plant is sometimes also referred to as Ling derived either from the old Norse Lyng or from the Anglo Saxon Lig meaning fire and referring to use as a fuel.
• Heather flowers are seen in pink, lavender, white, magenta, amethyst, purple and red.
• Heather flower also comes in beautiful and varied colors of copper, pink, gold, silvery gray and almost infinite shades of green.
• Heather, the name most commonly used for the plant, is of Scottish origin, presumably derived from the Scots word Haeddre.
• Heather is one of Scotland's most prolific and abundant plants.
• There are a number of reasons why heathers are so abundant with such a wide distribution. Firstly, the plant's reproductive capacity is high with seeds produced in very large numbers.
• Heather forms dense stands that shade and out-compete low-growing vegetation, making it an unsuitable environment for native flora and fauna.

Add to del.icio.us Add to YahooMyWeb Add to Digg Add to Technorati Add to Reddit Add to Furl Add to Spurl Add to Simpy Add to Blinklist Add to Wink