Can Heather Plants Live in Southern California?
Where you garden determines what types of plants you can successfully grow. Heather, also frequently referred to as erica, belongs to the Ericaceae family and boasts many different cultivars, some of which are hardy in warmer regions such as Southern California. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Southern California Climate
-
Southern California falls into U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 and 10, characterized by average minimum temperatures of 20 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The region is ideal for growing many plants 12 months of the year; however, the Southern California heat is not ideal for all plants.
Not All Heathers Will Thrive
-
Scotch heather, calluna vulgaris, is hardy in USDA zones 4 and 5, with minimum temperatures of -30 to -15 degrees Fahrenheit. Most varieties of heather are not suitable for growing in Southern California. The heat of the region will be too intense and cause the plant to fail to thrive.
-
Varieties That May Work
-
Certain varieties of heather are hardy in warmer climates and may withstand the Southern California heat. For example, Erica x krameri, an evergreen heather shrub, is hardy in zones 5 to 9, with average minimum temperatures of -20 degrees to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mexican False Heather: A Warm Climate Alternative
-
Cuphea hyssopifolia, also known as Mexican false heather, has a similar appearance to Scotch heather but belongs to the Lythrceae family. It is a small tropical shrub that is hardy in zones 9 to 11. Mexican false heather will flourish in Southern California's climate.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
