Lavender heather, blackbells: everything about the right care

The lavender heather, with the botanical name Pieris, is evergreen and an eye-catcher with its foliage and flowers, especially in winter. It is popular with bees and can be used as a hedge. In addition, it is comparatively easy to care for, but certain details have to be taken into account. Because the shadow bell, as the lavender heath is also called, has special requirements in terms of location and substrate as well as culture in the garden or bucket.

Location

It should be sun or at least light shade for the lavender heather. If the shrub is too dark, it loses its flowering power and develops more leaves. It should also be noted that it can grow between two and four meters high, depending on the variety. The growth height and width should be taken into account when choosing a location.

As a rule of thumb, keep a half growth width distance to other plants. It is also important to ensure that the shadow bell is not exposed to the blazing midday sun and is also protected from cold winds. Favorable is therefore an easterly orientation or a location near a wall.

substrate

Like azalea and rhododendron, lavender heather prefers acidic soil with a low lime content. In addition, the substrate should meet the following requirements:

• loose and well-drained, not tending towards compaction
• slightly damp but not wet
• pH of about 5
• humorous
• only moderately nutritious

A mixture of equal parts garden soil and peat is ideal. Alternatively, ready-made rhododendron soil can also be used.

Plant

Lavender heather is best planted between August and September. With regular watering, it can grow well until the beginning of winter.
If the shadow bell is used as a hedge, half the growth width is kept as the distance between the plants. If the soil does not meet the requirements, a planting hole of at least 50 centimeters deep and wide should be dug and the appropriate substrate filled in.

Pour

A light, continuous moistening of the lavender heather until autumn is recommended and prepares the plant for the winter. However, waterlogging is to be avoided as a matter of urgency, as is hard water with a high lime content. Rainwater, pond water or soft tap water should therefore be used. If the tap water is very calcareous, it can stand for a week. The lime collects on the ground. It is then poured in such a way that the sediment remains in the container.

Fertilize

The lavender heather can be fertilized with the new shoots in spring. The following are suitable for this:

• peat
• bark humus
• rhododendron fertilizer

Humus and peat can be added to the substrate and incorporated easily. They also have the advantage that they have a positive effect on the pH value of the soil. A single nutrient application per year is usually sufficient. If necessary, this can also be divided into two doses, whereby the second fertilization should take place in June to July at the latest.

waste

The shadow bell grows comparatively slowly. An increase of up to eight centimeters can be expected per year. Of course, the growth rate also depends on the selected variety. A blend is therefore often not necessary for a long time, but is well tolerated by the lavender heather. The measure is ideally carried out after flowering, removing withered inflorescences and crossing shoots.

In this way, the branches receive enough light again. When cultivating as a hedge, the shrub can also be shortened all around. It is recommended to shorten shoots one to half a centimeter in front of an outward-facing flower. It is cut at an angle so that the tip points away from the bud. Very old and bare shoots, on the other hand, are cut off or sawed off just above the ground.

propagation

The lavender heather takes over the propagation by itself by forming foothills. The easiest way is to leave these offshoots on the mother plant for as long as possible so that it has already developed roots. Then proceed as follows:

1. Carefully remove the substrate and cut the connection to the mother plant close to the large growth.
2. Also carefully remove the soil from the roots to avoid damaging them. Damaged root suckers are to be cut off.
3. The young plant is planted and watered as described above.

Alternatively, the foothills or shoots about ten centimeters long can be cut directly from the mother plant and freed from the lower leaves. These are placed in moist potting soil and can be placed in the same substrate as the mother plant is when new leaves sprout.
Again, gloves should be worn to avoid skin contact with escaping plant sap.

wintering

The evergreen shadow bells do not need any protection in winter, provided they have been planted freely in the garden. In dry winters with strong sunlight, however, it can also make sense here to protect the leaves with a layer of garden fleece. Cultivated in tubs, the lavender heath needs protection from frost and direct winter sun. In addition, it must be protected from drying out. On the one hand, it can be overwintered in a frost-free but cool and bright room, for example in an unheated hallway or in a cellar directly in front of a window.

On the other hand, it is also possible to insulate the tub from below with styrofoam and all around with garden fleece and leave the lavender heather outdoors. In any case, care should be taken that the substrate does not dry out completely. A small amount should therefore be watered outdoors on frost-free days and indoors about once a week.

Diseases, pests and care errors

Root rot and the nettle bug are particularly problematic for the lavender heather. Risk factors for root rot include:

• Waterlogging or insufficient water drainage
• substrate that tends to compact
• cold, heavy ground

If the shadow bells are affected, the foliage will turn yellowish and wilted. The plant hardly grows or even takes care of itself. As a preventive measure, the right substrate should be used and, if necessary, a drainage layer should be introduced and the watering behavior adjusted. If root rot is already present, the following measures can help:

• Blend of the affected and dead plant parts
• Use of sulfur preparations as a disinfectant for the soil
• application of fungicides
• Replace the substrate and move to a drier location

With regard to pests, the aforementioned web bug is problematic. The adult parasites suck the leaves of the lavender heath from spring onwards and later lay their eggs on them. In addition to the animals themselves, which are about three millimeters long, they can also be recognized by:

• spotted discolouration on the leaves, which eventually turn completely yellow or brown
• black deposits
• Eggs or larvae, mainly on the undersides of the leaves

As a preventive measure, it is advisable to check the plants carefully when you buy them and then, of course, in the garden or in the tub at regular intervals. In the event of an infestation with the pests, the affected leaves should be cut off and destroyed. Early spring is favorable for this, at the latest in April – i.e. before a new generation of web bugs can hatch. Pesticides for sucking insects can also be used.

Caution: poisonous!

As already mentioned, all parts of the lavender heather are poisonous. Therefore, skin contact with plant sap should be avoided as a matter of urgency. Wear gloves when planting, cutting and propagating. In addition, in gardens with playing children and pets, shadow bells should not be the first choice of planting or at least be adequately secured. In the event of contact with the skin and mucous membranes or even consumption, a doctor or veterinarian must be consulted immediately or an emergency doctor informed and informed of the type of poisoning.

Conclusion

The lavender heather is an easy-care and undemanding plant, but it should be enjoyed and treated with caution due to its poisonous content. If attention is paid to the requirements of the shadowy bell when it comes to substrate and watering, it is also ideal for beginners in plant care.

Learn more about planting time