Winter Chocolate Heather

Calluna vulgaris Winter Chocolate is a striking variety of heather with year-round color that you have to see to believe. In the spring, its long wands are creamy salmon colored. In the summer, the foliage takes on golden and orange tones with pink tips. Lavender blooms cover the tips from late summer until fall. In winter, the foliage turns rich shades of chocolate and bronze. Its fine texture and outstanding color will take center stage in any garden setting. This evergreen shrub has a mounding, dense habit that reaches 12 18 inches tall and 2 3 feet wide. This heather is easy to grow as long as its culture requirements are met. It is waterwise once established and is resistant to deer. It is cold hardy to zone 5 and will retain its colorful foliage all winter. The flowers attract bees and butterflies in the summer months. Use it as a colorful groundcover or plant it in drifts with other heathers to create a tapestry effect. Winter Chocolate Heather Care Winter Chocolate thrives in full sun, which will bring out its best colors. It prefers sandy, well-drained soil with an acidic pH. Alkaline soil can cause chlorosis and poor growth; you can amend such soil with sulfur or peat moss to increase the acidity. Winter Chocolate can be planted any time of the year, except during extreme heat or frost. Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist, but never let it sit in standing water. Apply a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect the roots from frost and keep the weeds down. Lightly shear this shrub after flowering to maintain a full, compact appearance. Avoid cutting into old wood because this will stunt new growth. Winter Chocolate Heather Spacing For mass planting, space individual plants approximately 2 feet apart on center and stagger the rows to create a natural appearance.If growing in a container, select a pot that is weather resistant with good drainage. The pot diameter should be at least 20 inches.