Flowering heather in The Netherlands
© Bendiks Westerink/Minden Pictures
Flowering heather in The Netherlands
Common heather is the only species in the genus Calluna. The plant was once considered a vulgar symbol of poverty, perhaps because it grows in the rugged heaths and moors of Europe, where the acidic soil makes farming difficult. But at some point during the 19th century, heather became a fashionable ornamental flowering shrub and was no longer considered the lowly bloom of the moorland. And though the thistle is the national flower of Scotland, heather blooms are a major cultural symbol in Scottish lore.
Related Images
Glastonbury Tor and St. Michael's Tower in England for the start of the Glastonbury Festival
Rajgad Fort near Pune, India
Gelada monkeys in Simien Mountains National Park, northern Ethiopia
Swift fox pups in Grasslands National Park near Val Marie in Saskatchewan, Canada
Gerenuk in Tsavo National Parks, Kenya
Hope Valley, Peak District, England
Zebras in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Peel Castle on St. Patrick’s Isle, Isle of Man
Bing Today Images
Splendid leaf frog
Jun 27, 2025
Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore at dusk, Florence, Italy
Jun 27, 2024
Sedona, Arizona
Jun 27, 2023
The Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona in Italy
Jun 27, 2020
Living root bridge in Meghalaya, India
Jun 27, 2019
