Description
Cassiope –
There are about 12 species of dwarf, low growing, evergreen shrubs, in this genus. They occur in diverse habitats in arctic and alpine regions in the Northern Hemisphere. They have 4 rows of tiny, overlapping, scale like leaves, pressed flat to the whipcord like stems. Wiry stems carry either single or large numbers of nodding small, white or pink, urn shaped flowers in late spring and early summer. Grow in a rock garden or in open areas in woodland.
Grow in sheltered site in moist, slightly acidic, humus rich soil in partial shade or in open sunny sites.
Prone to Exobasidium gall.
C. mertensiana – White Heather – This dense, upright shrub from Mountains of California to Alaska grows 6-12″ tall and 10″ wide. It produces ovate-lance shaped, dark green leaves, to 1/4″ long, 4 ranked closely set scale leaves. In early spring it bears cup to bell shaped creamy white flowers, to 3/8″ across, have red or green calyces.
Zones 3-7
