Daboecia is a species which consists of only two evergreen shrubs- Daboecia azorica, from the Azores, and Daboecia cantabrica, from Western Europe, in western Ireland (counties Galway and southern Mayo), western France, northern Spain and Northwest Portugal.

 

Daboecia is a hardy, erect-growing shrub. It can grow to a height of up to 2 feet. Its thin stems are covered with small ovate or oblong, dark green leaves that are white beneath. The leaves are always alternate in Daboecia, never whorled. Flowers are long spikes of rosy purple and bell-shaped. D. cantabrica var. Bicolor is an interesting form having white, rosy-purple and striped flowers on the same bush and often in the same cluster.

 

Flowers are borne from early summer to late fall. July or August is the month of cutting these shrubs. Daboecia grow best in moist, but well-drained, peaty soil. Sandy soil to which quite a bit of organic matter has been added is the best mixture. A sunny location is best, though they will do fine in a partially shaded one where there is less threat of drought, though they tend to sprawl more rather than grow compactly. These plants can be pruned back severely unlike heaths belonging to other groups.

 

Daboecia is a popular garden plant and numerous cultivars have been named. Cultivars include selections from the hybrid between the two species, which is named Daboecia x scotica.

 

Did you know?

·        The generic name Daboecia come from the name of an Irish saint, Saint Dabeoc, but with the two middle vowels reversed.

·        Daboecia is different from the European Erica species in having a deciduous corolla which is substantially larger than the corolla in the same species of Erica.