Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Scotch Heather - Calluna vulgaris   (L.) Hull
Members of Ericaceae:
Only member of Calluna in NC.
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Section 6 » Family Ericaceae
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Author(L.) Hull
DistributionCollected 3 times in NC as escapes from cultivation: in 1910 and 1975 in Macon County, and also from Watauga County (specimen at SERNEC without image or label data). Specimens from Buncombe County are from cultivated plants.

Native of Europe and western Asia; in N.A. Newf. to VT and MI, south to NC and WV; also B.C.
AbundanceVery rare, and escaped only to the Mountains. Last collected in 1975.
HabitatVacant lot (Macon Co.), no data (Watauga Co.).
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting July-August.
IdentificationScotch Heather is a perennial, short shrub 1-2 feet tall. In gestalt it resembles a mini-juniper or cedar. The branches are strongly ascending and clothed with very short, linear, blunt leaves. In flower it is essentially covered with small, pink, bell-shaped flowers. It is unlikely to be confused with any other NC plant.
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State RankSE *
Global RankG5
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