The most common colour
Pink is the shade most gardeners picture first. In Calluna vulgaris, flower colour in cultivars goes from white through pink and a wide range of purples, with the wild type being mauve. Pink forms flower in late summer and autumn in the southern hemisphere, in a haze of tiny bells on short spikes above the evergreen foliage.
Calluna or Erica
A search for pink heather plants turns up two different groups. Calluna is the true heather, flowering in the later part of the year. Erica, often sold as winter heath, has needle-like leaves and flowers during the cooler months, many in pink. Nurseries sometimes use one word for both, so check the label if you want continuous colour: plant both and you can have pink from summer to spring.
Positioning
Heather needs sun, sharp drainage and acid soil. That suits Tasmania, Melbourne's hills, the Southern Highlands and other cool, elevated gardens. In hot, humid places or on limy soil, grow it in a pot filled with ericaceous mix, and move it out of afternoon sun.
- Trim lightly after flowering.
- Mulch the roots.
- Water pots during dry spells.
Bees and pets
Pink heather draws bees. Calluna does not appear on the ASPCA list of toxic plants, so consult a vet for any pet that eats it.
Wild Calluna is normally mauve, so every pink heather in a nursery is a cultivar chosen for flower colour, and some also have golden or bronze foliage.
