Calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' offers striking seasonal color shifts with its vibrant chartreuse foliage in spring turning to orange and deep red by fall paired with lavender pink blooms that persist from mid to late summer. This low growing evergreen shrub brings year round interest to acidic sandy soils and excels in rock gardens, coastal landscapes, and containers.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 24 - 30 in
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Acidic, well drained sandy soil
Watering Needs: Low to moderate; avoid overly wet conditions
Deer Resistance: Generally deer resistant due to resinous foliage
Native Status
Native to Europe and western Asia, Calluna vulgaris naturalizes in heathlands, moors, and acidic open woodlands.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Highly attractive to honeybees and native bumblebees such as Bombus pascuorum during late summer when fewer floral resources are available.
Butterflies
- Visited by small skippers and hairstreaks seeking nectar in open sunny heath like plantings.
Birds
- Provides shelter and nesting cover for wrens and finches in low spreading evergreen branches.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Allow 18 - 24 in spacing to promote airflow and accommodate horizontal spread.
Landscape Placement:
- Best used in acidic borders, alpine beds, or massed in naturalized plantings with other heathers and low shrubs.
Companion Plants
- Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) - Offers similar soil needs and displays edible blue berries in summer with red foliage in fall.
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) - Prostrate native evergreen with leathery leaves and red berries that thrive in similar dry acidic soils.
- Erica carnea 'Springwood White' - Evergreen winter heath that provides white flowers earlier in the season extending heather interest.
- Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger' - Silvery blue foliage adds texture and gently spreads through acidic soils without competing aggressively.
- Pinus mugo 'Mops' - Dwarf conifer with a dense rounded habit that provides evergreen contrast and anchors small scale plantings.