Photo by Wikipedia · sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Heather (Ling)

帚石楠 · 帚石楠 · 帚石楠 · Bruyère commune (callune) · Brecina

Calluna vulgaris

In late summer, whole mountains turn purple as heather blooms. A single sprig is said to bring good luck — keep one in your pocket!

Height

50 cm

Blooms

Jul–Sep

Family

Heath (Ericaceae)

Latin name

Calluna vulgaris

Where to find

Where you can find Heather (Ling) in Ireland

Connemara National Park — County Galway: Wild Atlantic mountains, blanket bogs and twinkling lakes. Look for purple heather and yellow bog asphodel in summer, and Atlantic-fringe plants like sundews and butterworts.
Glenveagh National Park — County Donegal: Mountains, glens and one of Ireland's largest red deer herds. Heather paints the slopes purple in late summer, while bog cotton dances over the wet ground.
Wicklow Mountains National Park — County Wicklow: Ireland's largest national park, just south of Dublin. Heather-clad mountains, deep valleys with foxgloves and bog-loving sundews and butterworts.
Wild Nephin National Park — County Mayo: A vast wild bog and mountain wilderness on the west coast. One of Europe's largest blanket bogs — perfect for finding sundews, butterworts and bog cotton.
Howth Head — Dublin: A rocky peninsula at the edge of Dublin city. Heather and gorse on the cliff tops, bluebells in the woods in spring, and great views of the sea below.