Plant pick: Kramer’s Rote

Published 9:30 pm Tuesday, November 24, 2009

WHAT: This eye-catching heath, known as a darley heath, goes by the hybrid name of Kramer’s Rote. It has a compact form and an upright, bushy habit.

Its small, bell-shaped flowers are arranged along stems held at varying angles, creating special textural interest.

WHY PLANT IT: It blooms from December to April, its flowers smothering needlelike dark green leaves.

It is admired for its outstanding growth habit, evergreen foliage and vibrant flowers.

Mass plantings create an excellent ground cover for sunny locations and provide welcome winter interest.

WHERE: Heaths and heathers produce the most flowers in full sun. Plant them in well-drained soil to prevent root rot. If your soil has a high clay content, add plenty of compost to increase drainage.

Heaths have fine roots, so give them regular watering during summer dry spells to prevent root damage. Heaths also require acidic soil to thrive.

HOW: After the blossoms have faded, gather all the branches together, as though you were making a bouquet, and clip them neatly across their tips. This will remove most of the faded flowers and encourage growth from the center of the plant.

ACTUAL SIZE: It grows 12 to 18 inches high and 20 to 25 inches wide. Set gallon-size plants about 18 inches apart if you’re using the plants as a ground cover.

LEARN MORE: See www.greatplantpicks.org.

Source: Great Plant Picks