Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls Trio - Heather

Heather or Summer Heather 'Trio Girls' combines the stars of the Garden Girls series: the three varieties 'Martina', 'Betty', and 'Zelda'. The first two are heathers with closed flower buds, in dark red and white. The third is a variety with bright yellow foliage, without flowering. Together, they form a colourful mix, like a bouquet of heathers. Very durable and weather-resistant, the heather is beautiful all year round. Plant it in a rockery, at the edge of a flower bed, planted en masse, in a pretty pot on the patio, or in a balcony planter.

Calluna vulgaris Trio Girls belongs to the Ericaceae family. Its ancestor, the common heather, the only species in the Calluna genus, is the dominant vegetation in its natural habitat of barren heathlands in cold regions of the UK and Northern Europe. 'Trio Girls' is a mix of three evergreen shrubs that form small, bushy plants with an upright and compact habit, reaching approximately 30 cm (12in) in height after 3 years of cultivation. Decorative all year round thanks to its beautiful evergreen foliage, the heather blooms from late August to October-November. Its flower buds are arranged in upright and flexible spikes. 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.

Summer Heather 'Trio Girls' 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 weekend or low-maintenance gardens. Stunning when planted en masse with other species and varieties, it also pairs nicely with dwarf asters and short ornamental grasses, in a rock garden, on a slope, or in an informal border. In an ericaceous bed, it can be planted at the base of witch hazels, Pieris, or Skimmia japonica. On the patio or balcony, it fills pots and containers for autumnal floral displays with small perennials and bulbs.

Calluna vulgaris can withstand moderate grazing. It is an important food source for sheep and deer when the vegetation is covered in snow. It is capable of regenerating after a fire. In the past, this plant was considered magical and used in white magic rituals; it was believed to have protective powers. Calluna is also an ingredient in gruit, an aromatic composition used in beer brewing before the use of hops in the Middle Ages. Its flower tops have been used in herbal medicine for a very long time, as they are reputed to 'dissolve gallstones'.