Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Origin
Europe, Morocco, Western Asia
Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom
Types
-
M. v. brevipetala
M. v. collina
M. v. frozen
M. v. grandiflora
M. v. paui
M. v. verna
M. v. japonica
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Mountain Slopes, Temperate Regions
gardens, Grassland, Prairies, Suburban areas, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-8
4-7
Sunset Zone
A1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Mat-forming
Flower Color
White, Red, Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Tiny
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Ammonium Nitrate
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Armillaria mellea, Chlorosis, Crown rot, Powdery mildew, Root rot, Rust, Verticillium Wilt
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Shade areas, Wet Site
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Single
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Butterflies
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Skin inflammation
-
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for insects
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain, Urinary tract problems
Burns, Thyroid problems, tuberculosis
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Food for animals, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Alpine, Container, Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CALLUNA vulgaris
MINUARTIA verna
Common Name
Heather, Common heather, Ling
Irish Moss
In German
Heidekraut
Irish Moss
In French
bruyère
Irish Moss
In Spanish
brezo
musgo de irlanda
In Greek
ερείκη
Irish Moss
In Portuguese
urze
Moss irlandês
In Polish
wrzos
mech irlandzki
In Latin
Heather
Irish Moss
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Order
Ericales
Caryophyllales
Family
Ericaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Importance of Heather and Irish Moss
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Heather and Irish Moss. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Heather and Irish Moss as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Heather is Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain and Urinary tract problems whereas of Irish Moss is Burns, Thyroid problems and tuberculosis. Heather has beauty benefits as follows: Skin inflammation while Irish Moss has beauty benefits as follows: Skin inflammation.
Compare Facts of Heather vs Irish Moss
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Heather vs Irish Moss and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Heather are whereas of Irish Moss have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Heather has no showy fruits and Irish Moss has no showy fruits. Also Heather is not flowering and Irish Moss is flowering. You can compare Heather and Irish Moss facts and facts of other plants too.