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