Heather 'Velvet Fascination' Calluna vulgaris 'Velvet Fascination'

Names

• Family

  Ericaceae

• Synonyms

  Scots Heather, Scotch Heather, Ling, Heather

• Common names

  Calluna vulgaris.

Characteristics

• Life cycle

  Perennials

• Foliage type

  Evergreen

• Color of leaves

  Green

• Flower color

  Pink

• Height

  1 foot (30 cm)

• Spread

  2 feet (60 cm)

• Plant type

  Shrub

• Hardiness zones

  5

• Native area

  Europe

General Benefits

• Aesthetic Appeal: Heather (Calluna vulgaris 'Velvet Fascination') adds striking visual interest to gardens with its unique foliage and vibrant flowers.
• Year-Round Interest: Heather provides garden interest throughout the year with its evergreen foliage and long-lasting blooms.
• Drought Resistance: Once established, Heather is relatively drought-tolerant, making it a suitable choice for areas with lower water availability.
• Low Maintenance: Heather typically requires minimal care, making it an ideal plant for gardeners seeking low-maintenance landscaping options.
• Soil Adaptability: It can grow in a wide range of soil types, although it prefers acidic conditions.
• Wildlife Attraction: Heather flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects, which helps to support local biodiversity.
• Winter Hardiness: Heather is resilient to cold temperatures and can survive in harsh winter conditions.
• Ground Cover: Its dense growth habit makes it an excellent ground cover, preventing soil erosion and suppressing weeds.
• Versatility: Heather can be used in a variety of landscape designs, including rock gardens, borders, and as mass plantings.
• Color Variety: 'Velvet Fascination' offers a distinctive color variation compared to other heathers, with its foliage and flowers providing unique hues in the landscape.

Medical Properties

• Anti-inflammatory: Heather (Calluna vulgaris) may possess anti-inflammatory properties that could be beneficial in treating inflammation-related conditions.
• Antimicrobial: It may also have antimicrobial effects, which means it could help fight certain bacterial infections.
• Diuretic: Heather has been traditionally used as a diuretic to help with urinary tract issues by increasing urine production.
• Antiseptic: The plant's potential antiseptic qualities indicate that it might be used for cleaning wounds or treating skin infections.

Air-purifying Qualities

This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.

Other Uses

• Traditional Crafting Material – Heather is often dried and used for making brooms, baskets, and even small pieces of furniture due to its sturdy nature.
• Natural Dye – The flowers can be used to create a natural dye in shades of yellow, green, or orange, depending on the mordant used.
• Thatching Material – In some rural areas, heather has historically been used to thatch roofs due to its water resistance and insulating properties.
• Beekeeping – Heather moors are valued by beekeepers as the flowers provide an excellent source of nectar for honeybees, resulting in a distinctively flavored honey.
• Ground Cover – Used in landscaping to control soil erosion in sloped areas, as it forms a dense mat that helps to stabilize the ground.
• Garden Aesthetics – Used for winter interest in gardens as it retains its structure and some color during the colder months.
• Wildlife Shelter – Heather thickets provide shelter and breeding grounds for various wildlife species, including birds, insects, and small mammals.
• Eco-Friendly Packaging – Dried heather can be used as a natural, biodegradable packing material in place of plastic bubble wrap.
• Livestock Bedding – The dried plant can serve as a bedding material for livestock, particularly in sustainable and organic farming practices.
• Firewood – Although not the best quality, dried heather stems can be used as kindling to start fires due to their quick ignition.

Feng Shui

The Heather is not used in Feng Shui practice.

Zodiac Sign Compitability

The Heather is not used in astrology practice.

Plant Symbolism

• Protection: Commonly known as heather, Calluna vulgaris is often associated with protection because it was used in ancient times to thatch roofs, providing shelter and safety.
• Good Luck: Heather is also symbolic of good luck, particularly in Scotland where it's considered lucky to even find white heather, a rare variation of the plant.
• Solitude: The plant's ability to thrive in barren, solitary places makes it a symbol for solitude and the ability to prosper under difficult circumstances.
• Beauty: With its delicate flowers and appealing form, heather embodies the idea of natural beauty, often gracing landscapes with its presence.
• Admiration: Heather is also a symbol of admiration due to its hardiness and the endurance it represents; it's admired for its ability to grow in challenging environments.