Groundcover
Scotch heather or heather is a small, evergreen shrub that form thick mats of foliage. Tiny, scale-like leaves overlapping in pairs appear on thin stems that grow 24” tall and a few feet wide, there are varieties that only get 4” tall. Leaves are usually gray to green starting in spring through summer but acquire bronze and purple tones from early fall through late winter. Rose to purplish flowers grow one-sided on spike-like clusters appear in mid to late summer.
Camellias have about 300 species as well as 3,000 cultivars and hybrids; these plants are in the tea family. The most common Camellias sold are either japonica, sinensis or sasanqua. Most camellias desire shade or at best part-shade with protection from winter winds. They are slow growing and take time to establish but are long-living plants. Any excess chill, sun or even deep shade can reduce flowering.
Camellia sinensis – These camellias have large green leaves, mostly white (but has been known to have hues of pink to solid pink flowers) with 7-8 petals that will bloom heavily in the spring and again in the fall with less flowers. Growing 10-15ft tall and 6-10ft wide. They are much easier to maintain if they are kept at 3-4ft tall and wide. They can be pruned into a tree but are mostly seen as a specimen shrub, hedges, topiaries or espaliers. This camellia is most often used for green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong, pu-erh and other types of tea.
Camellia sasanqua – These camellias are densely branched, with a pyramidal to oval-round, tree-like shape that is evergreen getting 6-10ft tall and wide. They are known for their narrow, shiny, dark green leaves (3” long) with a fuzzy underneath side. Flowers are white, red, pink or mauve with bright yellow stamens. A mild fragrance with 6-8 petals bloom in late winter. Petals fall off after a few days, but the stamens remain. True species flowers are single rowed, but the cultivar varieties come in single, double or semi-double flowers. Following the flowers are small, smooth, green seed capsules. They are a drought tolerant that work well as an accent plant, hedge, or tall foundation plant. It makes a good small tree if it is pruned up.
Camellia japonica – This Camellia is an evergreen shrub that grows 6-12ft tall and wide. Oval leaves (3-4” long) are dark green that are both leathery and glossy with serrated margins. Flower bud will start to form as early as mid-summer; these camellias are early bloomers and will bloom in early spring when nothing else is really blooming. It adds color to a dormant landscape which can help those grey winter days. Blooms range in color from white, all shades of pink and red. The flower size can vary in size, ranging from a 2” diameter up to 5”; depending on the camellia variety, flowering can start in October and finish in mid-March. There are different cultivars that have different types of blooms such as a semi-double, peony, formal double, rose-form double, anemone, single flowers, but cultivars with or flower forms are available. Bloom time will usually last three to four weeks.