♤ Purple-red buds (smaller than ‘Marleen‘), IX–XI; mid-green foliage; broad spreading, upright habit, height 26–30cm; spread 46–60cm.
Wild-collected; found on Ginkelse Heide between Ede and Wageningen, near Arnhem, Netherlands, by Dr Ir T. Visser (Wageningen, Netherlands); introduced by W. Haalboom & Zonen (Driebergen, Netherlands) in 1974.
Named after Adrie Hoogerdijk-Haalboom, Mr Haalboom’s daughter (Ericultura 60: 12 (1986)).
It is safer to assume that Cape heaths must not receive a frost, although certain species are known to survive about 5 degrees Celsius of frost. As a result they are best regarded as a cool greenhouse plant, although they can be grown indoors under certain conditions. They are invariably grown in pots.
Despite enduring long hot and dry summers in South Africa most cultivated heathers hate being dry and this is the greatest danger. So keep pots or planters on a bed of pebbles which are kept wet at all times. Water the foliage from time to time as well, particularly in summer. Heathers rarely show sign of wilting so it is already too late if significant leaf drop occurs.
If heathers are kept indoors, they require a cool and well-lit moist atmosphere. The best places are usually a kitchen, bathroom, conservatory or even a sheltered porch.
When purchased most plants will be already pot-bound. Knock the plant out of its present pot, if the roots are brown (rather than white) then it needs potting on in a lime-free compost. Tear open the base of the root-ball as this will encourage new root growth. Repeat this operation annually. The earlier this is done after purchase, the greater the chance of survival.
Prune immediately after the flowers have faded by simply trimming off the dead flowers. They should not be pruned too hard i.e. into old wood as most heathers will not sprout new foliage from old wood. Place the pots outside when risk of severe frosts has passed, keeping them WELL IRRIGATED DAILY. Feed with a liquid tomato fertiliser as directed by the manufacturer. Provide protection once again when severe frosts are likely.
Most Cape heaths form tall shrubs and it is advisable to prune strong leading shoots for the first year to produce a compact plant. However, the plant usually flowers on these long spikes and, therefore, a choice has to be made between flowers and the shape of the plant in the early years.
Some of the more popular species in cultivation are these. Flowering months are for norther hemisphere (VI = Junes; XII = December).
Pink (H8) flowers, VII–X, sparse; mid-green foliage, young shoots tipped brilliant yellow in spring; open spreading habit; height 21–25cm; spread 31–45cm.
Found at Cow-y-Jack near Coverack on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall by Andrew Byfield, 18 August 1984; propagated and introduced by Denbeigh Heather Nurseries. By far the best clone of Williams’s heath for coloured spring shoots.
Named after the place in Cornwall where it was found.
Pink flowers, VII–X; mid-green foliage, young shoots with yellow tips in spring; height 21–25cm; spread 31–45cm. Found near Croft Pascoe Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, in 1981 Mrs Cherry Turpin.
Shell-pink (H16) flowers, VII–X; mid-green foliage, young growth yellow; height 26–30cm; spread 46–60cm. Similar to, but more upright than ‘Gwavas’. Found by David Coombe in the Lizard National Nature Reserve near Penhale, Cornwall.
Pink (H8) to shell-pink (H16) flowers, VII–XI, the stamens malformed and contorted; mid-green foliage; broad upright habit; height 21–25cm; spread 31–45cm.
Wild-collected; found at Gew-graze on The Lizard, Cornwall, England, by Mrs Jean Paton, Mrs Barbara Garratt and Mrs J. Yorston on 8 September 1974; propagated and introduced by 1988.
Named after the place where it was found.
Lilac flowers (H4), VIII–IX; golden yellow foliage; very compact and slow-growing; height less then 10cm; spread 10–15cm. Selected from the progeny of a deliberate cross between Erica tetralix ‘Alba Mollis‘ and Erica vagans ‘Valerie Proudley‘ by Professor John Griffiths (Garforth, Yorkshire).
Shell-pink (H16) flowers, VII–XI; mid-grey-green foliage, new shoots yellow; height 16–20cm; spread 31–45cm. Found by Miss Waterer on Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall, when staying at Gwavas Farm, near Cadgwith.
Pink (H8) flowers; VII–XI; foliage mid-green, young shoots yellow and this colour persists well into summer; habit neat semi–prostrate; height 10–15cm; spread 31–45cm. Found by Jean Julian (Mrs Jean Preston) at Kynance Cove, Cornwall, in 1999. Named after the finder, Honorary Secretary of The Heather Society at that time. Registered on 1 November 2001 by David Small.
Clear magenta (H14) flowers aging to shell-pink (H16), VII–XI; mid-green foliage even on young shoots; compact spreading habit; height 26–30cm; spread 46–60cm. Selected from the progeny of a deliberate cross between Erica tetralix ‘Hookstone Pink’ and Erica vagans ‘Mrs D. F. Maxwell’ made at Sardis, British Columbia, Canada, by David Wilson by 1992. It is named after the raiser’s father.
