Calluna vulgaris 'Athene'PBR (Garden Girls Series)
heather 'Athene'
A compact evergreen shrublet with upright stems of tiny linear moderate green leaves. These produce long racemes of small reddish flower buds within a dark red calyx which never open (bud-blooming) from September November

Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
AcidColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red | Green | ||
| Autumn | Red | Green | ||
| Winter | Red | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy, Spreading branched
- Genus
Calluna are low-growing or dwarf evergreen shrubs with stems clothed in tiny overlapping leaves, and terminal, spike-like racemes of small, 4-petalled flowers with coloured calyces
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in well-drained acidic soil in full sun. Flowers swell to bud, but do not open.
Propagation
Sow seed in spring. Propagate by division, layering shoots in spring/summer or planting softwood cuttings in a cold frame in summer.
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Coastal
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Rock garden
- Banks and slopes
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Trim off old flowering stems after flowering to keep compact. Pruning group 10.
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and other fungal diseases
Get involved
The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.