‘Marianne’

Purple (H10) flowers, VIII–XI; dark green foliage; height 31–45cm; spread 31–45cm.

Sport on ‘Ginkel’s Glorie’ found by Johannes van der Schaaf (Geldern-Veert, Germany).

‘Marie’

Lilac-pink (H11) flowers, VIII–IX; dark green foliage; low spreading habit; height 10–15cm; spread 31–45cm.

Sport on ‘Mullion‘; found by Kurt Kramer (Edewecht-Süddorf, Germany); introduced by Kramer about 1973.

Named after Kurt Kramer’s mother’s sister, once a worker at his nursery.

‘Marion Blum’

White flowers, VIII–IX; yellow-green foliage in summer, turning yellow in winter; vigorous, upright; height 31–45cm; spread 61–75cm.

Seedling; raised by H. M. J. Blum (Steenwijkerwold, Netherlands) in 1974; introduced by P. G. Zwijnenburg (Boskoop, Netherlands) in 1979.

Named after Herman Blum’s eldest daughter.

‘Marleen ‘

♤ White buds with purple (H10/H4) tips, IX–XI; dark green foliage; height 26–30cm; spread 46–60cm.

Wild-collected; found on Ginkelse Heide near Arnhem, Netherlands, by Dr Ir T. Visser (Wageningen, Netherlands); introduced by W. Haalboom & Zonen (Driebergen, Netherlands) by 1972.

Named after Dr Visser’s wife, Marleen Visser-Kiestra.

‘Marlies’

♤ Red buds, IX–XII; dark green foliage; broad, spreading habit; height 26–30cm; spread 46–60cm. Withstands early frosts better than ‘Alexandra‘ and lasts a little longer but generally not quite as showy or as red.

A sport on ‘Marleen’; found first by H Tüber (Gescher, Südlohner Dam, Hamburg, Germany) in 1991, and later another, indistinguishable one was found by Kurt Kramer; introduced at Bundesgartenschau, Dortmund, Germany; submitted for plant breeders’ rights in Germany on 14 September 1992; withdrawn 22 August 1995. Bulletin of The Heather Society 5 (10): 9-10 (1997).

Preliminary designation was “Rote Marleen”. Classified as C. vulgaris var. vulgaris f. diplocalyx.

‘Martha Hermann’

White flowers shaded lilac (H4), VII–IX; bright apple-green foliage; compact; height 16–20cm; spread 26–30cm.

Introduced by Mayfair Nurseries (Nichols, New York, by 1969.

Named after an employee of Mayfair Nurseries.

‘Martine Langenberg’

Lilac-pink flowers, VIII–IX; green foliage, young shoots tipped orange-red in spring; broad upright habit; height 31–45cm; spread 31–45cm. Seedling found at Boskoop, Netherlands, by G. K. Langenberg, and named after the finder’s daughter. More resistant to fungal attack than ‘Spring Torch‘.