Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls Zulu - Heather

Calluna vulgaris 'Zulu' is another summer heather from the 'Garden Girls' series. It is also part of the Sunset Girls® range that produces non-flowering varieties. The appeal of the plant lies in the texture and colour of its evergreen foliage. 'Zulu' is a striking variety, with a dark greenish colour throughout the year, with new shoots in dark green. Plant it in a rock garden, at the edge of a flower bed, in a nice pot on a patio, or in a planter on a balcony, in acidic and well-drained soil or substrate.

Calluna vulgaris 'Zulu' 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. 'Zulu' is an evergreen shrub that forms small, bushy plants with a wide and upright habit, reaching about 30cm (12in) in height and 25cm (10in) in width after 3 years of cultivation. The 'Sunset Girls' range is proof that foliage itself is worthy of interest and provides a permanent and essential structure to surrounding plants.

The 'Zulu' Garden Girls summer heather thrives in any acidic, moist to dry soil, in full sun or light shade. It tolerates periods of summer heat and drought well. It adds elegance to wild areas of the garden as well as to weekend or low-maintenance gardens. Stunning when planted en masse with other species and varieties, it pairs nicely with dwarf asters in autumn and small grasses, in a rockery, on a bank, or in a casual border. In an ericaceous soil bed, it can be planted at the base of witch hazels, pieris, or Skimmia japonica. Plant it in pots and containers on a patio or balcony to create autumnal floral compositions with small perennials and bulbs. Mixed in pots with more ephemeral plants, it ensures that the composition maintains structure and interest between two flowering periods.

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".