Why we head to Germany to find the best calluna
If you're looking for the highest quality plants, you'll often find them at the source; the place where the plants find their origins, or where they were first cultivated. The calluna, as we know the garden plant today, can be traced back to Germany; the Rhein-Maas area, to be exact.
According to Planthunter Sybren Slager, this is where the most gorgeous varieties of everyone's favourite fall flowering evergreen come from. Starting at the beginning of August until the end of October, Sybren spends four days a week in Germany to find the best and most colourful specimens for our customers worldwide.
"The calluna is a heather, a 'wild' plant found in heathlands and moors in Northern and Western Europe. About 20 years ago, growers in Germany started breeding their own versions of this plant. Kurt Kramer, the man behind the Garden Girls calluna, developed a plant that colours on the bud; a so-called 'bud bloomer'. With this calluna, the bud develops colour but never fully opens, meaning the plant can stay fresh and bright for much longer than the average calluna. It's a beautiful product that we love to offer to our customers, because they can enjoy the plant for a much longer period of time.
Other growers in Germany have started experimenting as well. We love the Beauty Ladies, for example, especially their Skyline product line. The Skyline calluna is a strong, tall plant with beautifully coloured foliage and thick stems that does well in garden beds, borders and planters. Both varieties are gorgeous plants, which one you like the most is really a personal preference. Garden Girls are a bit more wild and have more buds, but Beauty Ladies come in more shapes and sizes. It's a matter of taste, so we like to leave that choice up to our customers.
Why do we go all the way to Germany for our calluna? This region offers a lot of different varieties in many different pot sizes and colours, and the growers take their time growing the plants, which the calluna really needs. The local climate helps as well. It's just a two and half hour drive from Noviflora, but the temperatures are far more stable and the wind less intense. The weather can really influence the quality of a plant. Plus, there's a lot happening horticulturally in this area. So for now, we'll keep travelling to Germany to find our favourite calluna."