Calluna vulgaris Anouk - Heather

Calluna vulgaris 'Anouk' from the 'Beauty Ladies' series is a variety of Summer Heather or Heather whose flowering in closed bells is remarkably long-lasting from August to December. Indeed, as the flowers do not open, they are not pollinated and they resist climatic variations and winter conditions. Its foliage, bright, oscillates between medium green and chartreuse yellow. It is an extremely hardy plant, perfectly adapted to acidic soils and harsh climates, for flowerbeds, borders, rockeries or pots.

Calluna vulgaris, the only species of the genus Calluna belonging to the Ericaceae family, constitutes, in its natural environment, the dominant vegetation of barren heathlands in cold regions of the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. 'Anouk' is an evergreen shrub, with a somewhat tousled habit, both upright and spreading, 20 to 25cm (8 to 10in) in height and 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) in width. Its growth is quite slow. Its flowers are densely clustered on upright, compact but flexible spikes. Its foliage is evergreen, scaly, resembling that of a small conifer.

Callunas are beautiful summer heathers, as light and graceful as they are dense, very pleasant when planted in large groups with other varieties with diverse foliage and flowering. They also make good ground cover in heathland beds or as border plants. To extend the flowering period, they can be mixed with winter-flowering heathers. Calluna is an excellent rockery plant. On terraces and balconies, it is a decorative plant all year round and requires little when planted in a pot, used alone, but also as a structural plant in a flower composition. It thrives in acidic soil and can be planted alongside Witch Hazels, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris, and Skimmia japonica. It is a melliferous plant, used in beekeeping due to the high sugar content of its nectar. Heather honey is characterized by its gelatinous texture and dark colour.

Calluna vulgaris tolerates moderate grazing. It represents an important source of food for sheep and deer when the vegetation is covered with snow. It is capable of regenerating after a fire. In the past, this plant was considered magical and was used in white magic rituals; it was attributed protective powers, as in the Breton heathlands, where it is said to ward off ghostly spirits. Calluna is also an ingredient in gruit, an aromatic composition used in brewing beer before the use of hops in the Middle Ages. Its flowering tops have been used in herbal medicine for a very long time, as they are reputed to "dissolve bladder stones".