HEATHER: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, CARE, PESTS - BIOLOGY - 2025

The heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a small creeping or erect bearing and evergreen belonging to the family Ericaceae shrub. It is commonly known as heather, heather, biércol, calluna, garbeña, sardino or quiroga.

It is characterized by its small 2 mm leaves and abundant flowering of white, yellow, red or pink tones arranged in terminal clusters. Native to Europe, it has been introduced wildly and commercially to North Africa, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Heather (Calluna vulgaris). Source: pixabay.com

Like most ericaceae species, Calluna vulgaris maintains a symbiotic relationship with some mycorrhizae in the soil, favoring nitrogen absorption. Likewise, this symbiosis contributes to the growth and development of the plant in soils contaminated with heavy metals.

In this regard, heather is a botanical species with a high content of phytochemicals, which gives it various properties and biological activities. Traditionally, the flowers and branches are used to relieve urinary disorders, as an antiseptic, as an antirheumatic, choleretic and expectorant.

Pharmacological analyzes have made it possible to determine the presence of antioxidants, triterpenic acids and phenolic compounds that act as anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antibacterial agents. The high content of various chemical compounds and their biological activity constitutes the basis of its beneficial effect as a medicinal plant.

On the other hand, heather is an exceptional honey plant, since it provides the bees with raw material for the elaboration of a particular honey. This honey obtained from the nectar of heather flowers is dark in color and has a pleasant aroma, highly appreciated in confectionery.

General characteristics

Morphology

Heather is a shrub that can reach 1 to 1.5 m in height, highly branched with branches densely covered by small leaves. The leaves with an obtuse base and a sharp apex are arranged at right angles along the branches.

The flowers are grouped in inflorescences in terminal racemes, contain four pinkish petals with similar sepals and a deep corolla. The flowering period in temperate zones occurs at the end of summer, between July and September.

Detail of flowers and leaves of Calluna vulgaris. Source: Bernd Haynold

The fruit is a small globose capsule of 1.5 to 2.5 mm, surrounded by the sepals and petals that constitute the flower. Inside there are numerous tiny dark colored seeds.

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Ericales
• Family: Ericaceae
• Subfamily: Ericoideae
• Tribe: Ericeae
• Genus: Calluna Salisb.
• Species: Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull

Etymology

The generic name Calluna comes from the Greek expression kallyno which means - to sweep - since plants of this species are used to make handmade brooms.

The specific adjective vulgaris derives from the Latin meaning - common -.

Phytochemistry

Among the phenolic compounds present in the root, stems, leaves and mainly the flowers, are canulin, herbacetin and quercetin.

It contains various acids such as citric, fumaric and tannic, and some alkaloids. It has tannins and inulin, and a ferment called arbutase with antibiotic properties.

Distribution and habitat

Calluna vulgaris is found in the wild in Europe and North Africa, as well as in North America, some regions of Australia and New Zealand. In Europe it is found across the western Atlantic strip from Portugal to Norway, and in swampy regions of central Europe.

In Spain it is located on the Cantabrian Mountains from Galicia to the northwest of Navarra. Likewise, it is common in the Roncal and Salazar region, as in some territories of the Andia, Alaitz-Izco, Codés, Illón, Leire and Urbasa mountains.

Heather in its natural habitat. Source: Christian Fischer

It is a plant that grows in sterile and acidic soils such as humid coniferous forests, wetlands, peatlands and heaths or heaths. However, it is rare in areas of the Mediterranean basin.

It forms dense thickets on acidic or neutral, calcareous and sandy soils, in oligotrophic environments, that is, with low nutritional levels. It is frequently found in the clearing of the woods, being rare under the trees, since it moves away from shady places.

In shaded conditions it exhibits less development of apical shoots and consequently less flowering. It is a species very resistant to frost and can tolerate the saturation of soil moisture, which is why it is located in humid swamp ecosystems.

Its growth and development adapts to altitude levels from sea level to 2,600 meters above sea level. At an ecological level, it does not constitute a threat to grassland areas, since it is not appreciated by livestock.

Health properties

The medicinal properties of heather are supported by the high content of phytochemical elements in its flowers. In fact, Calluna vulgaris contains elements such as quercetin and tannic, citric and fumaric acids, as well as tannins, inulin and the natural antibiotic arbutase.

Heather has astringent properties that help wound healing, it also acts as an intestinal antiseptic due to its tannin content. It has antidiarrheal and antiseptic effects that relieve infections, it works as a diuretic and sedative for the nervous system.

It is useful for the treatment of infections of the kidneys and urinary tract, being effective in eliminating excess uric acid. It also works as a hepatotonic plant, exerting cholagogue functions, it favors the cleaning of the bile ducts, facilitating the expulsion of bile.

Application form

The decoction of flowers for the preparation of tea or infusions is the most common method of use. A handful of flowers are boiled in a liter of water, taking an average of three cups a day until well-being is achieved.

As washes it is used to heal skin problems or heal wounds. The preparation of the bath is usually accompanied by other medicinal herbs to strengthen the therapeutic effects.

Care

Heather is a very resistant plant that is used in borders, borders, rockeries, as well as in gardens, balconies, terraces and even in pots. The ideal is to keep the heather at full flower exposure, since under shade the flowering will be less intense.

It is a plant that tolerates occasional and low intensity frosts, as long as they are not less than 5ºC. Extremely hot environmental conditions cause pathophysiology in the plant.

Heather cultivation. Source: pixabay.com

It adapts to low fertility, loose and well-drained soils, with an acid pH since it does not tolerate alkaline soils. The annual renewal of nutrients can be supplied with the application of a simple compost based on manure.

In commercial crops, excess soil moisture can cause rotting problems of the root system, so it is advisable to apply moderate irrigation only in spring and summer.

It is advisable to carry out a maintenance pruning in early spring to clear the crown of dry flowers and leaves. On a commercial level, heather is multiplied by seeds or by cuttings collected at the end of the summer.

Each plant can produce thousands of flowers and seeds, reaching more than a million seeds per square meter. The seeds have a long viability rate, being easily dispersed by the action of wind, water, animals or man.

Germination hardly occurs without the intervention of light, so it requires a heat treatment to stimulate the process. Vegetative reproduction can occur through a stratification process.

In fact, branches in physical contact with moist soil can generate roots and form a new plant. Likewise, the base of the stem has the ability to re-sprout after the crop is burned.

Plagues and diseases

Pests

Red mite (

Red mites or tetranychids are one of the main pests of ornamental plants worldwide. Their ability to reproduce considerably quickly allows them to cause great damage in short periods of time.

These small arachnids have a sucking mouth system that feeds by penetrating the tissue of the leaves. A large population of this plant can completely cover the leaves and stems of the plant causing yellowish spots and necrotic tissues.

An effective control is to keep the crop clean and remove dead leaves. In case of infestation, biological control can be used.

Mealybugs (

Insect commonly known as the cottony mealybug, it is a species belonging to the Coccoidea family that is a pest of citrus fruits and certain ornamental plants. Mealybugs are tiny insects - 4 mm long - white and cottony in appearance, whose larvae are soft and gray in consistency.

The adult produces abundant whitish secretions within which it deposits its eggs. In fact, the large amount of honeydew secreted by the insect is a food source for the sooty mold.

Some lepidopteran larvae such as Saturnia pavonia attack heather. Source: Alastair Rae from London, United Kingdom

Diseases

Powdery mildew (

Fungal disease of ornamental plants that covers the branches, leaves and shoots of the plant with its white mycelium. It is usually confused with a mealybug attack; the plant shows general weakness and wilting to death.

Rot (

This disease causes rotting of the roots and apical shoots of the plant. The infection is favored by high temperatures, excess humidity in the ground and poor drainage.

Whorl (

Fungus that causes wilting, yellowing and falling of the leaves. Disease associated with plants exposed to water stress in hot periods.

References

1. Bahamonde, N., Vidal, OJ, & Henríquez, JM (2013). Calluna Vulgaris (L.) Hull (Ericaceae) in Two Bogs of Sphagnum Magellanicum Brid (Sphagnaceae) Intervened by the Extraction of Peat: New Addition for the Adventitious Vascular Flora of the Magallanes Region, Chile. In Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia (Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 117-121). University of Magallanes.
2. Heather or Brecina (Calluna vulgaris) (2015) Educative Nature: Educational portal of natural and applied sciences, technology and internet. Recovered at: natureduca.com
3. Calluna vulgaris (2015) Interactive Guide to Botany. Recovered at: montes.upm.es
4. Calluna vulgaris (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
5. Heather (Calluna vulgaris) (2003) Weed Management Guide. Australian Weed Management and the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Heritage. 6 pp. ISBN 1-920932-21-6
6. Monschein, M., Iglesias, J., Kunert, O., & Bucar, F. (2010). Phytochemistry of heather (Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull) and its altitudinal alteration. Phytochemistry reviews, 9 (2), 205-215.
7. Rayner, MC (1913). The Ecology of Calluna Vulgaris. New Phytologist, 12 (2), 59-78.