St Dabeoc’s heath

St Dabeoc’s heath: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, dense dwarf shrub 30–40 cm tall and 50–60 cm wide, with upright flowering stems.

Leaves

Small, narrowly oval, just over 1 cm long; glossy dark green, white and felty underneath, with rolled-under margins. Evergreen.

Flower

Egg-shaped, nodding bells about 1 cm long in loose sprays above the foliage, from June to October.

Colour

Purplish pink in the species; cultivars in white, pink, deep purple or bicoloured.

Roots

Fine and shallow, like those of all heathers: they need loose, humus-rich, acid soil.

Flowering: June–October · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March–April

Why grow it?

• One of the longest-flowering heaths: new bells keep coming from June to October.
• Evergreen: a fresh, dark green plant in the heather garden even in winter.
• The large bells are a source of nectar for bees and bumblebees well into autumn.
• Stays low and compact: ideal for a heather garden, a rock garden, the front of a border on acid soil or a container.
• Little work: one trim in spring keeps it dense and free-flowering.

St Dabeoc’s heath: where does it grow best?

• Sun or light shade; it flowers best in full sun, as long as the soil does not dry out.
• Acid soil is a must: sand, loam or peaty soil with a low pH, rich in humus.
• Moist but well-drained soil: no waterlogging in winter and not bone-dry in summer.
• Sheltered from cold, drying east winds, which can turn the evergreen foliage brown in winter.
• Plant 40–50 cm apart, in groups of three to five for an attractive carpet.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or peat

Acidity

Acid

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Heather: Flowers at the same time in late summer and likes the same acid soil.
• Winter heath: Takes over the flowering from January to April.
• Dwarf conifers: Add structure and height to a heather garden.
• Wavy hair-grass: A fine native grass for poor, acid soil.
• Dwarf rhododendron: Likes the same acid, humus-rich soil and flowers in spring.

St Dabeoc’s heath: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is not frozen or too wet.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in acid compost, leaf mould or ericaceous compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, or slightly deeper so the lowest shoots rest on the soil, and firm in well.
4. Leave 40–50 cm between plants.
5. Water in generously straight away, preferably with rainwater.
6. Mulch with pine needles, fine bark or leaf mould to keep the soil acid, cool and moist.

Care

Water

Water regularly in dry spells during the first year, preferably with rainwater: tap water is often limy. After that, only in long dry periods.

Feeding

Hardly needed. In April a little ericaceous fertiliser or acid compost; never lime.

Mulching

A thin layer of bark or pine needles every spring keeps weeds down and the soil acid.

Faded flowers

The faded bells drop by themselves. Cut off the dry flower spikes only in spring.

Weeding

Weed carefully by hand: the roots are shallow and a hoe easily damages them.

Tip: Water heathers with rainwater whenever you can: limy tap water slowly makes the soil less acid and turns the foliage yellow.

St Dabeoc’s heath: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March–April.

When: In March–April, once the worst frosts are over and before new growth really gets going.

How:

• Shear off the faded flower spikes with shears or sharp secateurs, just below the old flower clusters.
• Cut only into the green, leafy part: this keeps the plant dense and compact.
• Remove frost-damaged or dead shoots back to healthy wood.

Caution: Do not cut into old, bare wood: it reshoots poorly or not at all.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August: take 3–5 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, strip the lower leaves and insert them in a mix of acid cutting compost and sand. Keep under plastic in a light spot out of strong sun; they root within a few weeks.

Layering

In spring, pin a low shoot into the soil and cover it with a little acid soil. Sever it after a year and replant.

St Dabeoc’s heath: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −15 °C: no problem in most Belgian winters.
• In hard frost with cold wind the foliage can brown or shoots can die back; cover the plants with conifer branches or horticultural fleece.
• Leave the faded flower spikes until spring: they give the plant a little protection.
• In a pot or trough: place it in a sheltered spot against a wall and keep the compost slightly moist, as evergreens dry out quickly in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Yellow leaves: Leaves turn yellow while the veins stay green: the soil is too limy. Add acid compost and water with rainwater.
• Root rot: The plant wilts and dies suddenly, often in heavy, wet soil. Ensure good drainage and remove affected plants.
• Bare and woody: Without trimming, the plant becomes open and bare at the base. A light trim every spring prevents this; an old, leggy plant is best replaced.
• Vine weevil: Mainly in pots: the grubs eat the roots and the plant collapses. Control them with nematodes in spring or late summer.

Through the year

• March: Shear off the faded flower spikes. Plant.
• April: Plant. Feed lightly and mulch.
• May: Water in dry spells, especially young plants.
• June: Flowering begins.
• July: Full flower. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Flowering. Water with rainwater in dry weather.
• September: Flowering. Plant.
• October: Last flowers. Plant.
• November: Clear fallen tree leaves off the plants.
• December: Cover with conifer branches in hard frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The plant is named after the Irish saint Dabeoc; the genus name Daboecia is actually a misspelling of his name.
• Unlike heather and cross-leaved heath, it sheds its faded bells, so the plant keeps looking fresh during its long flowering season.
• In Ireland it grows wild mainly in Connemara, in the west of the country.