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Erica & Flogging A Dead Horse

OK, if pressed I will say that I know more than most, but not as much as
many.
At the risk of flogging a dead horse, I'm going to beat this subject
into total submission.
After standing firm in my belief that heaths and heathers are NOT
drought tolerant, last night I read an expert heather growers discourse
on the merits of heaths and heathers.  And one merit is that an
established heath/heather is drought tolerant.
So, I apologize and hope that whoever REALLY needed this information
will read it.
(But, I've STILL killed them in containers by letting them get too dry!
Really. I have!) 

> > I have several which seem to do fine in my clay bank.   I never water
> > them except for our lovely PNW rains.  There are several Pulminora (SP)
> > which have self seeded from my perennial border on the other side of the
> > fence. This  is a perennial of course, which is surviving on the west
> > bank, and full sun.  I thought it would look nice, if I planted several
> > varieties of heather's on the bank.  You can view the bank on this url.
> > http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/x.html  The planting area is just below
> > and to the right of the Elymus arenarius (blue green grass)
> >
> > > ----------
> > > From:         Diana L. Politika[SMTP:diana@olympus.net]
> > > Sent:         Tuesday, February 17, 1998 5:53 AM
> > > To:   woodyplants@mallorn.com
> > > Subject:      Re: Erica
> > >
> > > The fact that the bank faces west is neither here nor there.  The fact
> > > that it requires drought tolerant plants is another issue.
> > > There are NO drought tolerant ericas or callunas (heaths or heathers).
> > >
> > > McAlpine, Duncan G wrote:
> > > >
> > > >         What Erica would you recommend for a west facing bank?  The
> > > > shrubs would need to be drought tolerant and I would like to see a
> > > > splash of color in the summer and once in the winter.
> > > >
> > > >         Duncan
> > > >
> > > >
> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > --
> > > The Greenhouse Nursery
> > > 81 S. Bagley Creek Road & Hwy 101
> > > Port Angeles, WA  98362
> > > (360) 417-2664
> > > Zone 8
> > >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Quite a lovely garden you keep, Duncan.
> I have to reiterate about the heathers, tho.  One person said that she
> has a heather her parents planted 50 years ago that gets drought
> conditions for months.  (I'd bet that it has VERY deep roots and has
> some access to moisture deep in the soil)
> On this bank of yours, Duncan, I'd bet that if you dug down a foot on
> the hottest of heat waves that we have, you'll find moist soil.  First
> because it is clay soil, which traps moisture between flat plates of
> clay, secondly becuase it's located on a hill.  Moisture will follow
> gravity, and any excess water will find it's way farther down this hill
> that near the top.)
> I'm simply saying that heathers are NOT drought tolerant.  this I say
> after growing them in containers for sale.  Dry those puppies out, and
> you compost them.  They don't handle it.  They can run on the dry side,
> but they can't get bone dry.
> --
> The Greenhouse Nursery
> 81 S. Bagley Creek Road & Hwy 101
> Port Angeles, WA  98362
> (360) 417-2664
> Zone 8

-- 
The Greenhouse Nursery
81 S. Bagley Creek Road & Hwy 101
Port Angeles, WA  98362
(360) 417-2664
Zone 8
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