Herb: White Arctic Mountain Heather


Latin name: Cassiope tetragona


Synonyms: Andromeda tetragona


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of White Arctic Mountain Heather:

Dryish stony or sandy heaths or tundra, usually in mountainous areas.

Other uses of the herb:

The plant, combined with mosses and lichens, has been used as an insulation material in houses The plant makes a good tinder. Used for fuel. Considering the size of the plant (up to 30cm), this use must be born out of desperation in areas with very few woody plants.

Propagation of White Arctic Mountain Heather:

Seed - we have no details for this species but we would suggest surface-sowing sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe or in late winter in a well-drained ericaceous compost in a cold frame. Do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Layering in August. Alternatively, dig up the plant in early spring and replant it 10 - 20cm deeper in the soil. The buried branches will form roots and these can be divided and replanted in the autumn of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots, 2 -3cm with a heel, in a shady frame in August. Do not remove the leaves or allow the cuttings to dry out. Fair percentage.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dryish stony or sandy heaths or tundra, usually in mountainous areas.

Medicinal use of White Arctic Mountain Heather:

None known

Known hazards of Cassiope tetragona:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.