Winter Heath

How to grow Winter Heath

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring, spacing plants about 40 cm apart for ground cover. Unlike Calluna and most other heathers it tolerates a degree of lime, which makes it the practical choice on neutral or mildly alkaline soil. Full sun is still essential.

Pruning

Shear over lightly after flowering in spring, removing the spent flower spikes without cutting into old wood. Doing this every year keeps plants dense - once they go bare and woody at the base there is no recovery.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or layering, which occurs naturally where stems rest on the soil.

Pests and diseases

Generally trouble-free on suitable soil.

Value to wildlife

Valuable winter forage - bumblebees and honeybees out on mild days in January and February work it, when almost nothing else is flowering.

Notes

Flowering can start in late autumn in some seasons and run well into spring. Grow it in a block rather than as single plants; a mat of it under deciduous shrubs suppresses weeds and does the winter work of the border.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Erica carnea but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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