Calluna vulgaris
Calluna vulgaris
FamilyGenus: Callunanative in Germany
🌿
365
Species
interact
🔗
3986
Interactions
documented
🐛
63
Host relationships
Species
About this species
A low, woody, evergreen shrub of acidic, nutrient-poor ground, with scale-shaped leaves and flowering from July to September.
Ecological network
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PollinationLarval hostFlower visit
Ecological significance
As a native component of dwarf-shrub communities, Calluna vulgaris thrives on acid, nutrient-poor ground with low disturbance. It contributes to the structure and continuity of these habitats.
Annual cycle
Evergreen shrub retaining its scale-shaped leaves all year; flowers from July to September.
Standort & Merkmale
Light
Sonne
Moisture
Frisch (Mäßig feucht)
Soil
Schwachzehrer (Magerer Boden)
Flowering period
Jul – Sep
Soil reaction
Sauer (Säurezeiger)
Bioregion
Continental
Growth form
Strauch
Woodiness
Verholzt
Leaf type
Schuppenförmig
Leaf phenology
Immergrün
Plant height
0.447 m
Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)
Pflege & Anbau
Grow in full sun in acidic, low-fertility soil that remains moderately moist but well-drained.
Scientific profile
Calluna vulgaris is a woody, evergreen shrub reaching heights of around 45 cm. The leaves are tiny, scale-shaped and persist year-round. It produces flowers from July to September. This species is native in Great Britain, where it typically grows on acidic, nutrient-poor soils in full sun and tolerates moderate moisture levels. It is adapted to low-disturbance environments and forms part of dwarf-shrub communities.
Pollinators & visitors
175 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze
Celastrina argiolusPlebejus argusMelanargia galatheaAndrena dorsataBombus jonellusDiacrisia sannioBombus lucorumBombus bohemicusBombus pascuorumMellinus arvensisThymelicus lineolaPolyommatus icarusNomada flavaArgynnis paphiaErynnis tagesColias croceusPieris brassicaeepeolus variegatusManiola jurtinaMelitaea athaliaLasiommata megeraErebia aethiopsHylaeus cornutusLasioglossum leucozoniumBoloria seleneLasioglossum calceatumDasypoda hirtipesAnthocharis cardaminesBombus magnusAndrena ovatulaBombus hortorumAnthophora furcataAnthophora bimaculataBombus muscorumBombus monticolaAndrena haemorrhoaAndrena fulvaBombus terrestrisBombus lapidariusLasioglossum zonulumLycophotia porphyreaEmaturga atomariaPararge aegeriaAnthophora plumipesHipparchia semeleAphantopus hyperantusThymelicus sylvestrisPieris rapaePolygonia c-albumPieris napi
Host relationships
63 species use this plant as a host
Trichiura crataegiSaturnia pavoniaIdaea contiguariaScopula ternataHydriomena ruberataEulithis testataDysstroma truncataDysstroma citrataGymnoscelis rufifasciataEupithecia nanataPachycnemia hippocastanariaCleora cinctariaGnophos obfuscata (Denis & Schiffermüller), 1775Perconia strigillariaSyngrapha interrogationisAgrochola macilentaAnarta myrtilliLacanobia contiguaCeramica pisiPapestra birenCallophrys rubiDiarsia rubiXestia castaneaXestia ashworthii candelarumProtolampra sobrinaHypena crassalisLasiocampa quercusXylena vetustaCrocallis elinguariaEurois occultaHydriomena furcataMniotype adustaEntephria caesiataDiarsia brunneaDiarsia mendicaEpirrita autumnataAlcis repandataOrthosia gothicaNoctua comes HübnerDicallomera fascelinaEupithecia satyrataAporophyla lutulentaAgrochola helvolaAngerona prunariaSelidosema brunneariaCoenonympha pamphilusOrgyia antiquaCharissa obscurataAbraxas grossulariataAcronicta menyanthidis
Other flower visitors
62 other species visit the flowers
Macrothylacia rubiCapreolus capreolusSus scrofaSylvia atricapillaSerinus serinusFringilla coelebsErithacus rubeculaTetramorium caespitumRhagonycha fulvaFormica rufaFormica fuscaLagopus mutaPhalangium opilioProtaetia cupreaIschnura pumilioLestes barbarusSympetrum flaveolumSympecma paediscaTurdus merulaCervus elaphusAlces alcesBison bonasusCarduelis carduelisRegulus regulusStenurella melanuraPollenia angustigenaScathophaga stercorariaSphaerophoriaTachina grossaTachinidaeTricholinumBellardia viarumConops quadrifasciatusCynomya mortuorumDilophus febrilisEctobius sylvestrisEriothrix rufomaculatusExorista larvarumHydrotaea irritansLucilia caesarMelinda cognataOnesia sepulcralisPhaonia angelicaePollenia amentariaPollenia rudisSarcophagaSepsis cynipseaSicus ferrugineusBellardia vulgarisCalliopum aeneum
Sources & data origin
•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)
•Interaktionsdaten via GloBI (CC-BY 4.0)
•pollinator_interactions
•Baden-Böhm F, App M, Thiele J (2022) — The FloRes Database: A floral resources trait database for pollinator habitat-assessment generated by a multistep workflow. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Dryad, DOI: 10.5061/dryad.djh9w0w29 (CC0)
•FloraWeb / BfN
•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)
•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)
•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)
•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)
•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)
•Foto: © Adobe Stock / AdobeStock_223995095
All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →