Heather, or ling as it is sometimes called, is the main flowering plant of heaths and bogs on lowland heath and upland moors, bogs and woodland on sandy or peaty acidic soils. It is a small shrub and if left can grow up to around 1m high. Heather provides the purple colour of heathland from late summer to early autumn interspersed with yellows of gorse, and bright pinks of bell heather Erica cinerea, its usual companion, and with cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix on areas of damper heath and bog.
 
 
 
Heather Calluna vulgaris
 
Family – Ericaceae, Heather family
Perennial, up to 60 cm tall 50cm spread
Flowering July – October
Soil  - Clay, loam sand Acid only
Sun  - Full sun
Ling heather was first recorded by William Turner in 1548 who noted that some people made brushes with heath in both England and Germany.1. In Scotland heather is often referred to as heath, and local names include grig, hadder and dog heather.2. As well as being used to make brushes, heather was used as a roofing thatch in Scotland, fuel, and also collected to form a therapeutic heather bed. Heather was also used to flavour beer.3. From the eighteenth century heather was used to dye wool yellow, or green if overdyed with indigo or woad, for weaving into tartan cloth.4. 
 
In gardens on acidic soils heather will grow well, accompanying bell heather in borders, rockeries and under the light shade of trees such as silver birch, providing vibrant colour and valuable nectar in late summer and early autumn when most other flowering plants have faded. It can be raised from seeds, or cuttings and once established, needs to be pruned annually in early spring. Without pruning, heather will grow into a woody shrub with fewer flowers. There are a wide range of cultivars originating from both Calluna vulgaris and Erica cinerea.
 
Heather has a wide range of invertebrates associated with it, from beetles and bugs to flies and moths. It is a great source of nectar for bees. Bee hives placed near to a source of heather produce an excellent honey. Heather is one of the food plants for the green hair-streak butterfly Callophrys rubi and the main foodplant for the silver-studded blue butterfly Plebejus argus a butterfly of southern England and north Wales. Heather also supports an amazing number of moths5. including the Golden rod brindle Xylena solidaginis and grey mountain carpet Entephria caesiata on upland moors, the horse chestnut Pachycnemia hippocastanaria mainly on southern heathland, and true lover’s knot Lycophotia porphyrea on heath and moors throughout Britain.
 
References
 
1.  Pearman, D. (2017). The Discovery of the Native Flora of Britain and Ireland, A compilation of the first records for 1670 species and aggregates, covering Great Britain, Ireland, The Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. p 125
 
2. Vickery, R. (2019). Vickery’s Folk Flora, An A to Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. London. p 341
 
3.  Chambers, J. 1987. Wild Flower Garden. Elm Tree Books. p 47
 
4.  Cannon, J. & C. 1994. Dye Plants and Dyeing. A & C Black.
 
5.  See the Biological Record Centre database 
 
Page written by Caroline Ware.  Compiled by Steve Head
Bell heather Erica cinerea is similar in requirements to ling, but a bit more tolerant of neutral soils.  It is perhaps even more colourful in the garden, and is food for a very large number of butterfly and moth species.
Heather Calluna vulgaris
 
Family – Ericaceae, Heather family
Perennial, up to 60 cm tall 50cm spread
Flowering July – October
Soil  - Clay, loam sand Acid only
Sun  - Full sun
Bell heather Erica cinerea is similar in requirements to ling, but a bit more tolerant of neutral soils.  It is perhaps even more colourful in the garden, and is food for a very large number of butterfly and moth species.
Ling heather was first recorded by William Turner in 1548 who noted that some people made brushes with heath in both England and Germany.1. In Scotland heather is often referred to as heath, and local names include grig, hadder and dog heather.2. As well as being used to make brushes, heather was used as a roofing thatch in Scotland, fuel, and also collected to form a therapeutic heather bed. Heather was also used to flavour beer.3. From the eighteenth century heather was used to dye wool yellow, or green if overdyed with indigo or woad, for weaving into tartan cloth.4. 
 
In gardens on acidic soils heather will grow well, accompanying bell heather in borders, rockeries and under the light shade of trees such as silver birch, providing vibrant colour and valuable nectar in late summer and early autumn when most other flowering plants have faded. It can be raised from seeds, or cuttings and once established, needs to be pruned annually in early spring. Without pruning, heather will grow into a woody shrub with fewer flowers. There are a wide range of cultivars originating from both Calluna vulgaris and Erica cinerea.
 
Heather has a wide range of invertebrates associated with it, from beetles and bugs to flies and moths. It is a great source of nectar for bees. Bee hives placed near to a source of heather produce an excellent honey. Heather is one of the food plants for the green hair-streak butterfly Callophrys rubi and the main foodplant for the silver-studded blue butterfly Plebejus argus a butterfly of southern England and north Wales. Heather also supports an amazing number of moths5. including the Golden rod brindle Xylena solidaginis and grey mountain carpet Entephria caesiata on upland moors, the horse chestnut Pachycnemia hippocastanaria mainly on southern heathland, and true lover’s knot Lycophotia porphyrea on heath and moors throughout Britain.
 
References
 
1.  Pearman, D. (2017). The Discovery of the Native Flora of Britain and Ireland, A compilation of the first records for 1670 species and aggregates, covering Great Britain, Ireland, The Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. p 125
 
2. Vickery, R. (2019). Vickery’s Folk Flora, An A to Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. London. p 341
 
3.  Chambers, J. 1987. Wild Flower Garden. Elm Tree Books. p 47
 
4.  Cannon, J. & C. 1994. Dye Plants and Dyeing. A & C Black.
 
5.  See the Biological Record Centre database 
 
Page written by Caroline Ware.  Compiled by Steve Head
 
Heather, or ling as it is sometimes called, is the main flowering plant of heaths and bogs on lowland heath and upland moors, bogs and woodland on sandy or peaty acidic soils. It is a small shrub and if left can grow up to around 1m high. Heather provides the purple colour of heathland from late summer to early autumn interspersed with yellows of gorse, and bright pinks of bell heather Erica cinerea, its usual companion, and with cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix on areas of damper heath and bog.
 
 
 
           Garden Wildplants
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