Description

A rare finely-textured shrub with soft pink tubular flowers in early spring and light green needle-like foliage, ideal for poor soils, also great for massing in the garden; requires organic highly acidic soil, full sun and absolutely no standing water

Landscape Attributes

South African Heath is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

South African Heath is recommended for the following landscape applications;

Planting & Growing

South African Heath will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.