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Compare Heather and Rhododendron


Rhododendron and Heather


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Shrub  
Broadleaf Evergreen  

Origin
Europe, Morocco, Western Asia  
-  

Types
-  
Rhododendron aberconwayi, Rhododendron bulu, Rhododendron kanehirae  

Number of Varieties
700  
17
700  
17

Habitat
Boggy areas, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Mountain Slopes, Temperate Regions  
moist forests  

USDA Hardiness Zone
5-8  
5-8  

AHS Heat Zone
8-5  
-  

Sunset Zone
A1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17  
21,22  

Habit
Clump-Forming  
Spreading  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
10.20 cm  
99+
150.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
610.00 cm  
34
150.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
White, Red, Pink  
Red  

Flower Color Modifier
-  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
-  
Green, Tan  

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  
Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Needle like  
Ovate  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Medium  
Medium  

Type of Soil
Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic  
Acidic  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall  
Late Spring  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
No  

Tolerances
-  
-  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot  
Ground  

How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Cutting  
From Rhizomes, Seedlings, Stem Planting  

Plant Maintenance
Low  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs  
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist  

In Summer
Lots of watering  
Consistently  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Ample Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic  
Acidic  

Soil Type
Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
Well drained  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves  
Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Remove short twigs  

Fertilizers
Ammonium Nitrate  
Apply 12-10-18 NPK, General garden fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Armillaria mellea, Chlorosis, Crown rot, Powdery mildew, Root rot, Rust, Verticillium Wilt  
Azalea leaf gall, Bud blast, Galls, Honey fungus, Leaf Hoppers, Leaf spot, Petal blight, Phytophthora, Powdery mildew, Rust, Silver leaf  

Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Shade areas, Wet Site  
-  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single, Double, Semi-Double  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
No  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
Yes  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
No  
No  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Fine  
Coarse  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Matte  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
No  

Attracts
Bees, Butterflies, Moths  
-  

Allergy
-  
Asthma  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
Skin inflammation  
Making cosmetics  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for insects  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain, Urinary tract problems  
Burns, Chronic fatigue, Cold, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Headache, Rheumatism  

Part of Plant Used
Flowers  
Whole plant  

Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Food for animals, Used for its medicinal properties  
Cosmetics, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Sometimes used for making wine  

Used As Indoor Plant
Yes  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall  
Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
CALLUNA vulgaris  
RHODODENDRON  

Common Name
Heather, Common heather, Ling  
Rhododendron  

In Hindi
हीथ  
rhododendron  

In German
Heidekraut  
Rhododendron  

In French
bruyère  
rhododendron  

In Spanish
brezo  
rododendro  

In Greek
ερείκη  
ροδοδάφνη  

In Portuguese
urze  
rododendro  

In Polish
wrzos  
rododendron  

In Latin
Heather  
Rhododendron  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Ericales  
Ericales  

Family
Ericaceae  
Ericaceae  

Genus
Calluna  
Rhododendron  

Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  

Tribe
Ericeae  
Rhodoreae  

Subfamily
Ericoideae  
Ericoideae  

Number of Species
860  
29
1024  
24

What is >>
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Difference Between Heather and Rhododendron

If you are confused whether Heather or Rhododendron are same, here are some features about those plants to help you choose better. Many people think that these two plants have the same characteristics, but one can see Heather and Rhododendron Information and learn more about it. Fertilizers required for proper growth of Heather are Ammonium Nitrate, whereas for Rhododendron fertilizers required are Apply 12-10-18 NPK and General garden fertilizer. Hence, one should know the basic difference between Heather and Rhododendron if you are planning to have them in your garden to enhance its beauty.

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Importance of Heather and Rhododendron

Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Heather and Rhododendron. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Heather and Rhododendron 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 Rhododendron is Burns, Chronic fatigue, Cold, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Headache and Rheumatism. Heather has beauty benefits as follows: Skin inflammation while Rhododendron has beauty benefits as follows: Skin inflammation.

Compare Facts of Heather vs Rhododendron

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 Rhododendron 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 Rhododendron have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Heather has no showy fruits and Rhododendron has no showy fruits. Also Heather is not flowering and Rhododendron is not flowering . You can compare Heather and Rhododendron facts and facts of other plants too.

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