Erica carnea Ruby Glow - Winter Heath

Erica carnea 'Ruby Glow' is a variety of Alpine Heather characterised by long and intense magenta flowering from January to May. It brings a lot of colour to the garden when it can be a bit dull. It can be planted in a pot or planter, on a balcony or terrace, or placed on a windowsill to appreciate the flowers. Standing about twenty centimetres tall, it spreads to form a dense, evergreen cushion of foliage. Planted en masse, it forms natural-looking cushion, blending in with its surroundings: rocks, old trunks, tree bases... This hardy plant does not mind the cold. Undemanding in terms of soil type and exposure, it requires very little maintenance. It can therefore easily fit in any garden.

Erica carnea 'Ruby Glow' (syn. 'Atrorubra') belongs to the Ericaceae family. This heather, with its winter and spring flowering, is also known as snow heather or Alpine heather, due to its mountainous origins in central Europe (France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland) and southern Europe (Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, and Serbia). With a healthy and robust growth habit, it forms a small evergreen, spreading bush about 0.15m (0ft) to 0.25m (1ft) high and 0.40m (1ft) to 0.50m (2ft) in spread at maturity. It grows slowly and does not live more than 12 to 15 years. Small 5 to 7mm (0in) long needles grow on thin and twisted branches, whorled in 4 and marked with a furrow underneath. The young shoots are a pretty tender green in spring, turning dark green in summer, and eventually taking on bronze tones in the autumn. This cultivar usually blooms for several weeks between November and April depending on the climate. Its small bell-shaped, bright lilac pink flowers are 5 to 6mm (0in) long in clusters of 3 to 10cm (1 to 4in) scattered along the branches. The flower is composed of a corolla in the shape of an urn or bell with 4 small lobes and 8 stamens. The purple anthers protrude, giving the flowers an elegant appearance. They are loved by bees.

The Ruby Glow Snow Heather has all the qualities one expects from a heather. A long and remarkable flowering period combined with ever-evolving evergreen foliage throughout the seasons. Its low, dense, and compact growth allows it to be used as ground cover in borders or shrub beds, in slope or rock garden landscaping or to cover the base of trees and large shrubs. It prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade well. It can easily fit alongside other, later flowering heathers with a similar growth habit, like Erica x darleyensis or Erica vagans. Its long winter flowering brightens up a dark period. It is ideal for winter heather beds, to enrich the colour palette, along with other varieties, especially 'Isabell', white and snowy, or 'Rosalie', a bright carmine pink. It brings charm and cheerfulness to beds of low-growing grasses such as carex, ophiopogon, molinia, uncinia, hakonechloa, pennisetum, etc. It can also be mixed in a bed with dwarf creeping conifers (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip', Juniperus communis ‘Repanda’, etc.), or ground cover plants such as silver basket or wall bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana). It fills the front of beds, animating them throughout the year, especially in winter. Grown in pots or planters, it enriches a balcony, terrace, or patio with its intense flowering. It can be accompanied by skimmias or creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens).

Hardy down to -25°C (-13°F), Ruby Glow Snow Heather is a small, sturdy and robust shrub. It is easy to grow and tolerates all types of soil, including slightly chalky ones. Well-drained soil without stagnant moisture is essential. It does not tolerate long periods of drought well and likes moist soil. Mulching can maintain soil moisture. Almost maintenance-free, this heather only requires light pruning in April, after flowering. This will remove faded flowers and promote the growth of fresh foliage.