Erica darleyensis White Perfection - Winter Heath

Winter heather Erica x darleyensis 'White Perfection' is a variety that stands out with its bright green foliage that turns true green in winter, and long and abundant pure white flowering. It forms a vigorous and spreading undershrub, suitable for use as a ground cover in exposed and less favourable areas of the garden. From December to April, its stems are adorned along their entire length with small white bell-shaped flowers, offering a bright spectacle in the late season when few plants are in bloom. It hardy and easily grown in the sun, in well-drained soils without limestone. By combining different varieties with staggered flowering, Darley heathers create a patchwork of colour for 6 to 7 months, in borders, beds or containers, even in slightly limestone and dry soil. 

Erica x darleyensis 'White Perfection' is a recent horticultural variety. It is the result of cross-breeding between the Erica carnea, native to mountainous areas of southern and central Europe, thriving on limestone soil, and the Erica erigena, acid-loving and native to western Europe. This hybrid combines vigorous growth, beautifully coloured young foliage, and abundant and prolonged flowering. This small evergreen shrub, with a low and spreading habit, will reach approximately 45 cm in height and 70 cm (27.6 in) in width at maturity, with a fairly slow growth rate. Its lifespan is around 10 to 15 years. 'White Perfection' generally flowers between December and April depending on the climate, for several weeks. Its flowers are small urns that open pure white. These 3 mm (0.1 in) long flowers are grouped in clusters 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) long and are scattered along the branches, amidst linear leaves measuring 3 to 10 mm (0.1 to 0.4 in) in length, arranged in an opposite manner. The young foliage of this variety is bright green and turns true green when mature.

Hardy and undemanding of soil type, it is a sturdy small shrub, ideal for the design of winter heather beds, alongside other varieties, especially the 'Silberschmelze' variety, white and snowy, or 'Kramer's Rote', with a bright carmine-pink colour. Darley heather also makes an excellent ground cover, whether alone or combined with dwarf creeping conifers (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip', J.repanda...), or ground cover plants such as silver basket or wall bellflower Campanula portenschlagiana for example. It also helps occupy the front of beds, bringing life to them throughout the year, especially in winter.