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EnglishWhat is Heather World?
Updated
Heather World (heatherworld.org) is a reference site devoted entirely to heathers — the shrubs known botanically as Andromeda, Calluna, Daboecia and Erica. It is aimed at anyone from a newcomer who has just taken an interest in these plants to a grower looking for cultivar details, cultivation advice or the historical records of the old Heather Society. The site is informational only: it publishes plant lists, images and written guidance rather than selling plants or memberships.
What the site covers
The four heather groups are the organising principle of the site. Cultivar lists are presented for each, accompanied by images of many of the plants.
| Group | What it represents on the site |
|---|---|
| Andromeda | One of the four heather groups, with its own cultivar list |
| Calluna | The group most people mean by "heather"; cultivar list and images |
| Daboecia | Cultivar list and images |
| Erica | Cultivar list and images, including summer-flowering forms |
Beyond the cultivar lists, the site spans the full range of heather interest:
- Wild heathers of European heaths and moorlands
- Cape heaths — the rare and unusual South African species
- Cultivation tips, covering choosing, growing and propagating heathers
- Scientific studies and nomenclature for readers who need the botanical side
The page evidence also shows a "Heather Gardens" heading and repeated "Erica in Summer" headings, so garden design and seasonal Erica interest are part of what you will find there.
The Heather Society connection
Heather World was home to the old Heather Society, a group of enthusiasts dedicated to raising interest in heathers worldwide. The Society closed at the end of 2020, but its Yearbooks and Newsletters remain viewable on the site. For anyone researching older cultivar names, garden history or the development of heather growing, those archived publications are the main reason to visit beyond the plant lists.
When to use it
- You want to identify or compare a heather cultivar across the four groups — start with the cultivar lists.
- You are about to plant heathers and need guidance on choosing, growing or propagating them.
- You need the correct botanical name or want to check nomenclature.
- You are looking for Heather Society Yearbooks or Newsletters from before the end of 2020.
If you need to buy plants, book a visit or contact a current society, this site will not do that — it is an archive and reference resource, and the Society it hosted no longer operates.