Calluna vulgaris is the only accepted species in the genus Calluna. It grows to 20 to 50 centimetres tall, or rarely to 1 metre and taller. It is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade. It is native to Europe, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the Azores. It is the dominant plant in most heathland and moorland in Europe. It is tolerant of grazing and regenerates following occasional burning.
Heather flowers from July to September. In wild plants the flowers are normally mauve, and white-flowered plants also occur occasionally. The leaves are small scales, less than 2-3 mm long, borne in opposite pairs, whereas those of Erica are generally larger and in whorls of 3-4, sometimes 5. Calluna is differentiated from Erica by its corolla and calyx, each being in four parts instead of five.
Heather is extremely cold-hardy, surviving severe exposure and freezing conditions well below -20 °C. Heather is an important food source for various sheep and deer, which can graze the tips of the plants when snow covers low-growing vegetation.
Phenolic compounds in the shoots include chlorogenic acid and a novel phenolic glycoside. The nectar contains callunene, a megastigmane that is inhibitory to Crithidia bombi, a common trypanosome parasite of bumble bees, at naturally occurring concentrations. Seventeen individual phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC in all heather samples collected from ten Lithuanian habitats. In those samples chlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic compound, making up about 36-45% of the total amount of phenolic compounds. Thirteen triterpenic compounds were detected in the samples, among them oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and betulin. Ursolic acid was the predominant triterpenic compound, accounting for 47-55% of their total amount.
Heather honey is a special type of honey arising from the nectar of Calluna vulgaris. It has a characteristic strong taste and an unusual texture. Honey that bees produce from heather nectar has an amber to dark colour and a persistent taste of bitterness. The honey also has a plant fragrance reminiscent of a moist ground. The price of heather honey on the market is considerably higher than that of common honey. Heather honey is a highly valued product in moorland and heathland areas, with many beehives being moved there in late summer.
A heath is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Heaths are widespread worldwide but are rapidly disappearing and are considered a rare habitat in Europe. Where heather and Scotland are linked in the same sentence, the heather meant is Calluna vulgaris. Calluna vulgaris is the province flower of the Swedish province of Västergötland.
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Related: Apricot Blossom · Banksia Australian · Meadowsweet · Orange Blossom · Orchid Pink Leopard · Safflower · Tangerine Blossom · Tobacco Blossom
