{"id":18497,"date":"2022-07-30T07:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-30T05:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=119965"},"modified":"2022-07-30T07:36:17","modified_gmt":"2022-07-30T05:36:17","slug":"guide-to-heather-how-to-identify-different-species-and-where-to-see","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/guide-to-heather-how-to-identify-different-species-and-where-to-see\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to heather: how to identify, different species, and where to see"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Phil Gates\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 30 July 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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In August, the heaths of lowland England and the moors of Wales, northern England and Scotland become a shimmering sea of pink and purple, created by billions of tiny heather flowers.<\/p>\n

The heath or heather family is known as Ericacae, a selection of flowering plants that thrive in surprisingly infertile conditions.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see heather speckled across the moorlands, heathlands and even boggy vegetation in Europe. The shrubs are also easy to grow yourself and will help nurture wildlife-friendly gardens<\/a>, as the flowers are rich in nectar and attract bees<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Heather grows in moorlands, heathland and bogs\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

What is heather?<\/h2>\n

Heather is a purple- or pink-flowered shrub that grows particularly abundantly on the moorlands and heathlands of Europe. Sprigs of heather are particularly favoured in Scotland, where they are considered lucky and are sold as charms.<\/p>\n

How many species of heather are there in the UK?<\/h2>\n

There are three common species of heather in the UK, all tough, low-growing shrubs needing acid soils, each with subtly different features and habitat preferences.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/strong><\/p>\n