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Shrubs

Daboecia cantabrica 'Harlequin'

Irish heath 'Harlequin'

A compact, evergreen shrub to 30cm high, with upright stems bearing small, lance-shaped, dark green leaves. Flowers are urn-shaped and pendent, and vary in colour; even on the same stem, flowers can be white, pale pink, pale purple or even striped. Flowers are produced from mid summer into autumn

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ericaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Daboecia are dwarf evergreen shrubs with small, leathery dark green leaves, paler beneath, and terminal racemes or panicles of relatively large, nodding, urn-shaped flowers from early summer to autumn
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained lime-free soil, in full sun; will tolerate neutral soil and partial shade. Can be grown in containers in a free-draining ericaceous compost mix. See Hardy heathers for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings, in mid summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds
Ground cover

Pruning

See pruning group 10; in early to mid spring. Trim spent flowering stems to the base after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to Phytophthora root rot

Get involved

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