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Erica x darleyensis includes many hybrids of Erica carnea and Erica erigena and is one of the easiest of all heathers to grow. It is suitable for almost any soil, needs very little pruning and is useful for smothering weeds. E. x darleyensis are the ironclads of the heaths. These plants are generally more bushy and are quite a bit taller than the carpeting Erica carnea, so keep this in mind when ordering. Some people want flat carpeters, and others want the bushier taller type. Most varieties have pink or cream tips of new growth in spring and bronze foliage in the winter. Buds form in late summer or very early fall, and some cultivars begin blooming as early as late September, often lasting until May. The flowers open pale and deepen as the season progresses. Prune when young when finished blooming in May to create a bushier plant. Zones 5 (-20 degrees) and warmer. |
|
Cultivar |
Flower Color |
Time of |
Height and Width |
Foliage |
Winter Foliage |
Comments |
|
white |
Dec-May |
compact 8" x 20" |
dark green |
cream tips spring |
began last Sept for us |
|
|
Alba * |
white |
Oct-May |
bushy 15-18" x 36" |
medium green |
|
long flowering |
|
Alice * |
large red |
Jan-Apr |
bushy 18” x 24” |
dark green |
|
|
|
pink/red purple |
Dec-April |
bushy 20" x 24" |
medium green |
|
|
|
|
Arthur Johnson * + |
pink-reddish purple |
Nov-May |
open bush 18" x 30" |
medium green |
cream tips spring |
|
|
large white |
Jan-Apr |
bushy 18” x 24” |
medium green |
|
|
|
|
rose pink |
Feb-May |
bushy 12-18’ x 16-24: |
medium green |
|
last darleyensis in bloom—useful for that |
|
|
pink |
Jan-Apr |
bushy 18” x 24” |
dark green |
|
|
|
|
reddish purple |
Jan-May |
bushy |
medium green |
|
from Jim Cross—rare |
|
|
Darley Dale * (MED. PINK) |
shell to deep pink |
Sept-May |
bushy 15-18" x 36" |
medium green |
|
tough plant, a.k.a. ‘Med. Pink’ |
|
white |
Jan-May |
compact 18" x 20" |
medium green |
|
free flowering |
|
|
Lilac |
Jan-May |
Bushy 10” x 24” |
green gold |
orange |
sport from ‘Jenny Porter’ named for Emmy Plomski |
|
|
Epe * |
lilac |
Jan-May |
12” x 24” |
medium green |
spring tips cream |
rare |
|
Erecta * |
lilac pink |
Jan-May |
broad upright 12” x 24” |
medium green |
|
rare |
|
Magenta |
Jan-May |
12” x 20” |
gold green |
|
sport of ‘Kramer’s Rote’ |
|
|
Furzey * + |
dark lilac pink |
Nov-May |
bushy 15" x 24" |
dark green |
pink tips in spring |
flowers very well |
|
pink-reddish purple |
Nov-May |
bushy 15" x 26" |
medium green |
red, pink cream |
flowers well |
|
|
pink-reddish purple |
Nov-May |
bushy 18" x 36" |
light green |
spring tips cream |
|
|
|
white |
Nov-May |
compact spreading 16" x 28" |
pure yellow |
yellow green |
does not sunburn, sport of 'White Perfection' |
|
|
Goldrush * |
lilac pink |
Dec-May |
vigorous 18- 24” x 30” |
gold green |
green gold w/orange tints |
from Dave Wilson, B.C. |
|
soft salmon pink |
Dec-May |
floriferous 14” x 30” |
medium green |
|
from Dave Wilson, B.C., cross between ‘Irish Dusk’ and ‘Treasure Trove’ |
|
|
J.W. Porter + * |
reddish purple |
Jan-May |
bushy 10" x 16" |
dark green |
cream red tips |
spring tips beautiful |
|
reddish purple |
Jan-May |
spreading 12" x 24" |
yellow all year |
orange tints |
flowers make for an interesting contrast |
|
|
deep pink to reddish purple |
Dec-April |
compact 12" x 22" |
medium green |
tipped pink and cream in spring |
|
|
|
Jenny Porter * + |
lilac |
Jan-May |
spreading 10" x 24" |
medium green |
spring tips cream |
vigorous |
|
Katia * |
large pure white |
Nov-May |
bushy 14” x 32” |
medium green |
spring tips cream |
sport of ‘Silberschmelze’ |
|
Kramers Rote * + |
magenta |
Jan-April |
bushy 15" x 24" |
dark green |
bronze |
Rote translates to Red |
|
Lena * |
large magenta |
Jan-April |
broad upright 18” x 24” |
dark bronze green |
|
sport of ‘Kramer’s Rote’ |
|
Lucie * |
large magenta |
Jan-April |
broad upright 18” x 24” |
dark bronze green |
|
sport of ‘Kramer’s Rote’ |
|
Lyra * |
shell pink |
Dec-May |
broad compact 12” x 36” |
medium green |
|
seedling found at Heaths & Heathers—floriferous and soft color |
|
lilac |
Jan-May |
bushy 8-10" x 18" |
medium green |
spring tips cream |
|
|
|
pink |
Feb-April |
bushy 10" x 18" |
yellow to gold |
bronze-maroon |
striking winter foliage |
|
|
deep pink |
Dec-April |
18” x 28” |
medium green |
|
rare |
|
|
white |
Dec-April |
bushy 12” x 18” |
medium green |
|
similar to ‘Silberschmelze’ blooms earlier |
|
|
large white |
Dec-April |
bushy 16" x 28" |
bright green |
|
sport of ‘White Perfection’ from Ken Hutchins |
|
|
Phoebe * |
salmon |
Sept-Mar |
compact bushy 18-20” x 20-24” |
medium green |
|
|
|
Pink |
Dec-May |
bushy 20” x 20” |
medium green |
|
|
|
|
large lilac pink |
Nov-May |
bushy 15" x 24" |
dark green |
|
from Ken Hutchins, Mossyrock, WA |
|
|
cool purple |
Jan-Mar |
13” x 24” |
dark green |
|
|
|
|
Silberschmelze * (MED. WHITE) |
ashen white |
Dec-May |
bushy 14” x 32” |
medium green |
spring tips cream |
a.k.a. ‘Med. White’ |
|
dark rose |
Mar-May |
broad upright 18” x 24” |
dark green |
|
free flowering |
|
|
Tweety * |
magenta |
Nov-April |
broad spreading 12" x 18" |
bright gold |
orange tints |
sport of 'Kramer's Rote', does not bloom as well |
|
pink to red purple |
Dec-Apr |
broad 8” x 20” |
dark green |
red spring tips |
more flowers than ‘Furzey’ |
|
|
white |
Dec-May |
bushy 10" x 20" |
medium green |
|
outstanding |
|
|
Perfection * + |
pure white |
Dec-April |
bushy 16" x 28" |
bright green |
|
highly rated long spikes |
|
white |
Mar-May |
16” x 24” |
medium green |
|
|
|
|
large rose |
Nov-April |
14” x 24” |
dark green |
|
|
|
|
salmon pink |
Nov-May |
24” x 36” |
dark green |
|
from Dave Wilson, B.C., cross between ‘Irish Dusk’ and ‘Treasure Trove’ |