Winter heath, also known as snow heath, is a real gem for your yard because it loves lime-rich soil and is incredibly hardy thanks to its alpine roots. True to its name, it shows off its colors during the coldest months, typically blooming from February through April. Since most other garden plants are still dormant then, it’s a total showstopper during those bare winter months.
Where to find young plants
You can pick up snow heath at just about any large garden center or through online nurseries. You’ll usually see the widest variety of types and colors available in the spring, which is actually the best time to plant them.
Picking the perfect spot
Snow heath thrives in full sun to partial shade. As for the soil, it prefers a lime-rich (alkaline) environment. It’s also pretty tough and can handle lean, poor soils with a high gravel content.
Tips for planting
When you buy winter heath, you’ll notice the root balls are usually quite dense and well-established.
Here’s the best way to get them in the ground:
- Remove the plant from its container and gently loosen up the root ball with your hands.
- Place it carefully into the soil.
Can I transplant winter heath?
You can definitely move them, but you should only do it in the spring. These frost-hardy, perennial beauties can stay in the same spot for years, provided you give them a regular pruning. Just a heads-up: try not to move older, established plants, as they usually don’t handle the stress of a move very well.
How to propagate your heath
Snow heath isn’t typically grown from seeds. Instead, you’ve got a few other options:
- Dividing the plant.
- Rooting semi-hardwood cuttings.
- Layering (rooting branches while they’re still attached to the parent plant).
If you want to try cuttings, wait until summer and snip off pieces about an inch (30 mm) long from the semi-woody branches. Strip the leaves off the bottom half and gently tuck them into some potting substrate. Keep them consistently moist, and you should see roots starting to form after about 40 days.
When does it bloom?
Snow heath usually blooms between February and April, though those delicate buds can start showing color as early as December. The peak of the show is usually in March. Because it flowers so early, it’s actually a vital food source for bees and other insects waking up from their winter naps!
