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Plant Spotlight: Mediterranean Pink Heather

March 11th, 2009

I have a few Mediterranean Pink Heather plants on my front hillside rock garden. The thing I love most about these carefree plants are the fact that they’re the first thing to bloom every year. They are blooming profusely right now. I do love this plant, it’s really nice to see something colorful in the garden right now.
mediterranean-pink-heather
Plant Strengths: Sun loving drought tolerant plant; Scented blossom; Attracts wildlife to feed or nest; All round tough plant suitable for problem areas; Provides valuable winter interest; Evergreen foliage for all year round color and screening; Suitable for container growing; Suitable for exposed coastal planting; Attractive form or foliage for all year interest; Tolerates full sun and sandy, drought-prone soils; Tolerates cold exposed locations.
pink-heather

Is anything blooming in your gardens right now?

19 Comments to “Plant Spotlight: Mediterranean Pink Heather”
  1. Karen on March 11, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    I live in NE PA and was wondering if I would be able to get some of that Heather to grow here. I have a hillside that needs some beauty. We can’t mow it so it is nothing right now. I just found your site and love reading what you are doing. Where would I purchase some of these Heather plants?
    Thanks.

    Reply to Karen's comment

    • Heather on March 21, 2011 at 11:09 am

      I get my Heather plants at Lowes. I do have to get in early as they sell VERY quickly. I mix peat in the soil and it seems to help them alot. Happy growing, I have a hillside full and wouldn’t trade them for anything.

      Reply to Heather's comment

  2. Denise on March 11, 2009 at 6:59 pm

    I live in the mountains of VA and have had med. heather for a few years now. It’s a plant that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Not only do you have flowers in the middle of winter, if there is a warm spell, the bees come out in droves all over them. It tolerates our cold very well. Plus, NOTHING will grow up through the plant, such as weeds. It’s great for that. I just bought 21 plants to put on a bank that I can not longer weed-eat. I absolutely love this plant and suggest if you aren’t sure, try one or two. I think you will be happy with them.

    Reply to Denise's comment

  3. Susy on March 11, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    Karen – you should be able to get it to grow there. I don’t have trouble with it here in NE Ohio. I bought mine at Lowe’s on clearance in the spring one year. It really is a great plant.

    Thanks Denise, we all appreciate the notes on the plant. I’m glad my bees will love it, they need early blooming stuff.

    Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Mangochild on March 12, 2009 at 3:33 am

    Nothing blooming, but I had to say that heather (any sort) is one of my fav plants. Do you know how big a container has to be to house it well? I never tried before because I thought it had to run wild… but having it would be wonderful.

    Mangochild’s last blog post.. First Seed Starts of Spring 2009!

    Reply to Mangochild's comment

  5. Susy on March 12, 2009 at 8:21 am

    Mangochild – you probably wouldn’t need a very big container. Heather as shallow roots so probably a container that big around but not necessarily deep. I have one plant that has spread to about two feet in diameter, I think they can go up to 3.

    Reply to Susy's comment

  6. Teri on March 12, 2009 at 11:11 am

    Mine is, but it doesn’t look as good as yours…….does garlic count?:)

    Teri’s last blog post.. 70/365

    Reply to Teri's comment

    • Susy on March 12, 2009 at 11:28 pm

      Garlic counts! This time of year anything counts. I have a houseplant that’s blooming.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  7. Sue Dawson on March 14, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    I just clicked on your name from your comment on Kylee’s blog about maple syrup. I haven’t read that post yet, but I really like your website, and since I’m zone 5b, in Nebraska, I am interested in seeing what you grow. I’ve never grown heather, but hope to see if it will grow here. It’s awesome that you have something like that blooming now!

    Sue Dawson’s last blog post.. SkyWatch Friday 3/13/09

    Reply to Sue Dawson's comment

  8. Heather on March 24, 2009 at 7:17 pm

    I just purchased Heather to put around my mailbox because I the soil has not been the best for other plants, and I thought it would add some color during the winter, and would still be green throughout the summer. Going off of what I have read this plant should work well, and I am excited to see how it grows=)

    Reply to Heather's comment

  9. Kathy on April 6, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    Can you tell me if Mediterranean Heather is deer resistant?

    Reply to Kathy's comment

    • Susy on April 6, 2009 at 12:36 pm

      Yes, at least it is here in my yard. They deer eat all the tulips right beside the heather and leave the heather alone.

      Reply to Susy's comment

    • Heather on March 21, 2011 at 11:04 am

      I have had no problem with dear eatting my Heather.

      Reply to Heather's comment

  10. Amy Alberts on April 30, 2009 at 11:11 am

    I planted two “Pinks” last spring in a flower box that is 4x3x3, they were potted from Lowes. They were a beatiful bloom, the the flowers died off and the evergreen stayed. This spring I just have dead stalks, I am very disappointed and wonder what I may have done wrong. The soil is quite sandy, full sun, full Northeastern NY winter weather!!
    Is there hope? Thanks for your help, your photos are beautiful, and I am jealous.

    Reply to Amy Alberts's comment

    • Heather on March 21, 2011 at 11:06 am

      You should prune them after they have bloomed in the spring and fall. I have a couple that got dead stalks so I cut them back and left the stalks with growth. They are filling out again and doing fine.

      Reply to Heather's comment

  11. Kristen on February 21, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    I received a pink heather plant in a container as a gift from a flower shop. We live in Northwestern Vermont and I am not sure if I can put it outside or not. Will it survive indoors in the container? I suppose I’ll water it when it’s dry, and keep it at room temp? any thoughts would be appreciated!

    Reply to Kristen's comment

    • Susy on February 21, 2010 at 4:16 pm

      I would assume you could keep in inside if you want to and plant it when the ground thaws. You could also most likely put it outside if you want to as well. I’d protect it with some straw if you do since the container could freeze.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  12. Patricia on April 4, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    To Amy Alberts-4/2009 Sorry you lost your heather.Lowe’s replaces.If soil is sandy,I would admend with potting soil add enough in your box to also have cup or two of cow manure. Watch your watering.I can imagine the plants had 2 strikes against them before you bought.Heather should be easy to grow.

    Reply to Patricia's comment

  13. Cheating Your Zone | Chiot's Run on March 31, 2011 at 4:47 am

    […] that helps plants survive in a climate a little out of their zone. I have this beautiful Mediterranean Pink Heather growing on my front hillside. It’s technically not hardy in my zone 5 as it’s a zone 6-7. I […]

    Reply to Cheating Your Zone | Chiot’s Run's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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