Daboecia cantabrica: location, care & winter hardiness

Irish heath is a popular heather for pot and garden. It is also of great benefit to bees and other insects with its bell-shaped flowers.

Irish heath (Daboecia cantabrica) is a low-maintenance and popular semi-shrub that decorates our gardens, balconies and terraces. It is also non-toxic and a popular food source for insects. Everything you need to know about planting and caring for Daboecia cantabrica can be found here.

Daboecia cantabrica: characteristics and origin

The evergreen Irish heath, as its name suggests, is native to Ireland. However, it is also native to the Atlanticised part of Portugal, Spain and France. Accordingly, it is well adapted to mild and rainy climate. Botanically, the plant belongs to the heather family (Ericaceae). The bushy, semi-shrub grows up to 50 cm high and flowers between June and October. During this period, the numerous, bell-shaped flowers can be admired. They appear in terminal umbel clusters in white, red, pink or purple. After flowering, the flowers of the Daboecia cantabrica still look fresh, because the petals remain after pollination. This then looks as if they are being formed again and again. The flowering of the Daboecia cantabrica is a feast not only for the observer, but also for numerous insects. Bees like to use the plant’s pollen as food, and butterfly caterpillars also feast on the shoots of Daboecia cantabrica. Of course, Daboecia cantabrica is at its best in a group setting, such as in a heather garden along with other heathers. However, Daboecia cantabrica also attracts attention under larger flowering shrubs such as rhododendron or azalea (Rhododendron spec.), as a specimen plant or in a container on the balcony or terrace.

Tip: Daboecia derives from the original Irish name for this heather, “fraoch Dabeoc”. The name was first recorded in the late 17th century by antique dealer Edward Lhuyd.

The most beautiful varieties

Besides the Irish heath (Daboecia cantabrica) there is also a second species, Daboecia azorica. This is found only in the Azores and differs from the Irish heath in that its leaves are smaller and the flowers are not hairy. In culture, the two species were crossed. This has resulted in hybrids that are popular as garden plants. Below we have compiled some popular varieties of Daboecia cantabrica with different flowering colours.

• ‘Alberta White’: this vigorous variety with bright white flowers shines with fresh green, bright foliage. It grows up to 60cm high and – with a spreading habit – up to 80cm wide.
• ‘Amelie’: this relatively new cultivar captivates with very large, glowing red flowers and dark green, glossy foliage. With its extremely bushy growth, it grows to a maximum height of 20 to 30cm.
• ‘Andrea’: it reaches a height of 20 to 60cm with an upright growth habit. It also bears bright red flowers and dark green, glossy foliage.
• ‘Angelina’: this profusely flowering variety impresses with bright, intense dark red flowering bells and dark green foliage. With a bushy, upright and small growth, it reaches a maximum height and width of 40cm each.
• ‘Arielle’: this vigorously growing cultivar with especially large, pink to red flowers has glossy, dark green foliage. It grows upright and reaches 40cm in height.
• ‘Bellita’: that variety has numerous, pure white flowers that bloom even into October. The perennial grows partly loosely upright, partly the shoots lie on the ground. This gives it a height of up to 35cm. Their green foliage is vigorous.
• ‘Cinderella’: this compact, very tall-growing cultivar captivates with white to pale pink, bell-shaped flowers and dark green foliage. Despite the dense and rounded growth, it grows up to 50cm high.
• ‘Cupido’: a prostrate variety with small, pink flowers that bloom even into October and glossy, dark green foliage. The shoots grow mainly lying on the ground and reach a maximum height of 25cm.
• ‘Globosa Pink’: it looks very similar to the wild species found in Ireland. The vigorous variety shines with pink to purple flowers and strong green foliage. Its growth is dense, around and compact and reaches a height of up to 20cm.

• ‘Irish Princess’: this variety is one of the classics of the Daboecia cantabrica. Depending on your taste, you can choose from different flower colours such as white, pink or red. It is loose, bushy in growth and reaches a size of up to 60cm.
• ‘Rosella’: a profuse flowering variety, it grows bushy and compact to a height of 20cm. It shines with large pink flowers and dark green foliage.
• ‘Vanessa’: this variety with vigorous growth has particularly beautiful purple flowers and dark green foliage. It grows erect and reaches a height of up to 60cm.

• Daboecia x scotica: this hybrid between Daboecia azorica and Daboecia cantabrica is a hardy variety of bell heather that can withstand temperatures as low as -18°C. It grows compactly and bears small, shiny, dark green leaves. Its white to purple flowers appear late into the autumn.

Planting Daboecia cantabrica

In order for the Daboecia cantabrica to thrive in your home, the best way to plant it is as follows:

• Location: ideally, the Daboecia cantabrica grows in a wind-protected, sunny place. It tolerates midday sun well, but light partial shade is also tolerated.
• Sociability: Daboecia cantabrica is not very competitive — especially in less than ideal locations. For this reason, it should be planted in groups of 10 to 20 plants so that it is not easily overgrown.
• Soil: the substrate is preferably loose, well-drained, humusy, moist, low in nutrients and lime. It should have a pH of 4 to 5. For example, our Plantura Organic Ericaceous Compost is ideal for bog plants of this type. It has a pH of 4.6 to 5.4 and, unlike other bog soils, is peat-reduced. In order for the Daboecia cantabrica to grow well in groundcover, it is a good idea to replace the entire topsoil with an acidic soil. If the soil is compacted below ground level, a drainage layer is recommended even in the bed. To prevent iron deficiency, up to 20% yellow sand can be mixed in.
• Planting time: Daboecia cantabrica may be planted throughout the year. Prerequisites for planting are frost-free soil and not too strong heat.
• Plant spacing: maintain a planting distance of 30cm between plants.
• Planting: dig a planting hole twice the size of the root ball. Then insert the plant and fill the hole with acidic soil. Finally, you press everything tightly. Water the Daboecia cantabrica abundantly. To protect the soil from drying out, you can apply a layer of mulch.
• Container cultivation: when planting in pots, proceed in the same way. Select a sufficiently large pot and fill it with a drainage layer of clay shards at the very bottom, so that the water can drain off well and does not form waterlogging.

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Tip: if you skillfully arrange the combination of different heather plants, you can enjoy a year-around, colourful bloom.

The most important care measures

Daboecia cantabrica is very low maintenance and undemanding. It can be successfully cultivated with minimal care.

Watering Daboecia cantabrica

Daboecia cantabrica needs always moist soil and therefore water often as well as regularly. Especially if it grows in a pot, it needs to be watered more often, as the small substrate volume dries out quickly. Since it is an evergreen plant, bell heather should definitely be watered a little in winter on frost-free days, provided that the substrate is dry. It is best to use rainwater with a low lime content. Both waterlogging and drying of the root ball should be avoided.

Fertilising

The robust half-shrubs are well adapted to nutrient-poor soils and therefore require little fertilisation. Fertiliser applications are necessary annually in pot culture and as needed in the open field – when the heather strongly slows down its growth. Fertilising is done between April and September. An organic slow-release fertiliser such as our acidic Plantura Hydrangea Food is suitable for Daboecia cantabrica. The organic slow-release fertiliser contains no animal products and is tailored to the needs of the bell heather. It gradually releases its nutrients to the plant, which ensures vigorous and balanced growth.

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Pruning Daboecia cantabrica

If the Daboecia cantabrica is to be pruned, the best time is in the spring between March and April. This way you can still enjoy the evergreen half shrub over the winter. Shorten the plant to a minimum of 10 cm and do not cut deeper than the branches are green. Pruning stimulates branching and ensures the development of bushy plants. If desired, the flowers can be cut off, even if the old flowers have an ornamental value in winter.

Is the Daboecia cantabrica hardy?

Irish heath is only conditionally hardy to temperatures of -15 °C. It can withstand light frost to just below freezing point for a short time with good winter protection and overwinter outside. However, potted plants should be overwintered frost-free. The ideal wintering temperature is between 3 and 10 °C. Since the Daboecia cantabrica is an evergreen plant, it must be placed in a bright location and watered from time to time. You do not need to fertilise them during this time. Unlike the Daboecia cantabrica, Daboecia x scotica is still somewhat hardier and can withstand temperatures as low as -18 °C.

Toxicity

Daboecia cantabrica is not poisonous. The aromatic plant is even popular for making herbal oils and vinegars, as well as for decorating food and drinks. So you do not need to worry about your pets chewing on the Irish heath, as it is completely harmless. This rarely happens anyway, as cats and dogs do not find the bristly, scratchy plant parts attractive.