Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls Lioba - Heather

Calluna vulgaris 'Lioba' is a summer heather from the prolific Garden Girls series, whose autumn flowering takes the form of simple unopened flower buds. These durable buds are unaffected by frost and rain. As the flowers are unpollinated, they have an extended lifespan. 'Lioba' displays a very bright colour, with light red buds on dark green evergreen foliage. In harmony with all warm autumn colours, it can be planted in rock gardens, borders, or in a pretty pot on a patio. Plant it in well-drained acidic soil or substrate.

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls® 'Lioba' belongs to the Ericaceae family. Its ancestor, the common heather, is the only species of the genus Calluna. In its natural habitat, it is the dominant vegetation of barren heathlands in the cold regions of the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. 'Lioba' is an evergreen shrub that forms small bushy plants, with a wide and erect habit, reaching about 40cm (16in) in height and width after 4 to 5 years of cultivation. Decorative all year round thanks to its beautiful evergreen foliage, this cultivar blooms from October to December. Its flower buds are arranged in upright and flexible spikes. Its nectar contains a high sugar content, making this honey-bearing plant invaluable in beekeeping. Heather honey is characterised by its gelatinous texture and dark colour.

The Garden Girls 'Lioba' summer heather is a light and refined plant, that can be planted in any acidic, moist to dry soil, in full sun or partial shade. It brings elegance to wild areas of the garden as well as to weekend or low-maintenance gardens. Beautiful when planted en masse with other species and varieties, it pairs nicely with dwarf asters and small grasses in rock gardens, on banks, or in informal borders. In acidic soil beds, it can be planted at the base of witch hazels, pieris or Skimmia japonica. On a patio or balcony, it can be planted in hanging baskets and pots, gracefully cascading for autumnal floral compositions with small perennials and bulbs.

Calluna vulgaris can withstand moderate grazing. It represents an important source of food for sheep and deer when snow covers the vegetation. It is capable of regenerating after a fire. In the past, this plant was considered magical and used in white magic rituals; it was attributed protective powers, as in the Breton heaths, where it is said to ward off ghostly spirits. Calluna is also an ingredient of 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 stones in the bladder".