Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Calluna vulgaris 'Golden Carpet'
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

heather 'Golden Carpet'

An evergreen shrub to 15cm high, with a prostrate, creeping habit and small, scale-like leaves. New growth is golden yellow-green in spring, turning shades of orange and red in winter. Spikes of small mauve flowers are produced from late summer to early autumn

Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Yellow
Summer Purple Green Yellow
Autumn Purple Green Yellow Orange Red
Winter Green Yellow Orange Red
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H7
Botanical details
Family
Ericaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Spreading branched
Genus

Calluna are low-growing or dwarf evergreen shrubs with stems clothed in tiny overlapping leaves, and terminal, spike-like racemes of small, 4-petalled flowers with coloured calyces

Name status

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, acidic soil in full sun. See Hardy heathers for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer, or by layering in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Ground cover
Pruning

Pruning group 10, in spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and other fungal diseases

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.