Bog plants do not always have their natural habitat in the bog, but they can also feel at home in the home garden. However, they make some claims. More on this and a list of well-known bog plants below.
Table of Contents
Acidic soil desired
Bog plants are often associated with bogs or swampy soils. This can sometimes be a bit confusing. For good growth of such so-called bog plants, only acidic soil is necessary and it does not necessarily have to be very moist. “Moor beds” in gardens and parks are therefore often referred to as “sour beds”. However, these plants make some demands on soil and location
- sunny to shady
- like a spot under sparse conifers
- no cold east and north winds
- Soil pH between 4 and 5.5
- loose, humus and nutrient-rich, fresh to moist soil
- no waterlogging
List of known bog plants
Rhododendrons and azaleas are undoubtedly among the best-known representatives. However, acidic soil is also desirable for various shrubs, trees, perennials and grasses, among other things. In the following list some more or less well-known ericaceous plants are arranged according to these groups:
ornamental shrubs and trees
Some popular ornamental shrubs and trees belong to the ericaceous plants:
Yellow Azalea (Rhododendron luteum)
- Growth: branched, fast-growing
- Growth height: 100 to 180 cm
- Appearance: long lanceolate hairy leaves, funnel-shaped flowers in yellow, white, red
- Flowering period: May to June
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Characteristics: deciduous, slightly poisonous
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
- Growth: upright, bushy
- Growth height: 100 to 200 cm
- Appearance: elliptical to ovate serrated leaves, terminal spherical or flat inflorescences, white, violet, blue, pink
- Flowering period: June to September
- Location: partial shade to shade
- Special feature: high water requirement
Kamelie (Camellia)
- Growth: shrubby or small tree
- Growth height: 150 to 600 cm
- Appearance: leathery elliptical dark green leaves, rose-like flowers in white, pink, red
- Flowering period: January to March
- Location: shade, sheltered from the wind
- Special feature: conditionally hardy
Magnolie (Magnolia)
- Growth: upright, shrub or tree
- Growth height: 300 to 400 cm
- Appearance: green obovate leaves, fragrant flowers, white, pink, purple, dark red, yellow
- Flowering time: March to June
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Prachtglocke (Enkianthus campanulatus)
- Growth: shrubby, bushy
- Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
- Appearance: elliptical serrated leaves, bell-shaped flowers in umbels, yellow, pink
- Flowering period: May to June
- Location: partial shade to shade
Rhododendron (Rhododendron)
- Growth: spreading, evergreen
- Growth height: 90 to 400 cm
- Appearance: leathery shiny rounded leaves, funnel-shaped flowers in red, white, yellow, purple
- Flowering period: May to July
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Special feature: poisonous
Schirmtanne (Sciadopitys verticillata)
- Growth: conical, tree
- Growth height: 400 to 600 cm
- Appearance: Flat, scale-like needles on the trunk, glossy green on branches, yellow flowers, brown cones
- Flowering time: April to May
- Location: partial shade
Zwergbirke/Polarbirke (Betula nana)
- Growth: rounded, compact
- Growth height: 40 to 120 cm
- Appearance: grey-green rounded leaves, inconspicuous flowers
- Flowering time: April to May
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Special feature: forms catkins, yellowish to orange-red autumn colour
Fruit-bearing fruit trees
Various fruit trees also belong to the moor bed plants. They need acidic soil to grow and form fruit:
Großfruchtige Moosbeere/Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)
- Growth: creeping, ground covering, evergreen
- Growth height: 10 to 20 cm
- Appearance: leathery oblong to elliptical leaves, bell-shaped flowers, pink
- Flowering period: May to June
- Location: sun
- Special feature: red berries with a tart and sour taste from September to October, inedible raw
Heidelbeere/Blaubeere (Vaccinium myrtillus)
- Growth: bushy, richly branched
- Growth height: 60 to 180 cm
- Appearance: elliptical to ovate leaves, jug-shaped pendent flowers, white-green/pink
- Flowering time: April to June
- Location: partial shade
Krähenbeere (Sempetrum nigra)
- Habit: Ground covering, dense, dwarf shrub, evergreen
- Growth height: 30 to 50 cm
- Appearance: glossy green needle-shaped leaves, inconspicuous flowers, violet, pink
- Flowering period: May to June
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Special feature: edible black berries from August, sour-bitter taste, rich in vitamin C
Preiselbeere (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
- Growth: creeping or upright, compact, dwarf shrub
- Growth height: 10 to 40 cm
- Appearance: leathery, obovate leaves, glossy dark green leaf upper side, glandular hairy underside, hairy inflorescences in the form of grapes, dark red
- Flowering period: May to August
- Location: sun
- Special feature: ripe red berries from August to September, sour taste
flower perennials
Hard to believe, but some flowers, including garden orchids, also love acidic soil:
Bergenie (Bergenia)
- Habit: evergreen, clump-forming, stem upright
- Growth height: 25 to 30 cm
- Appearance: Glossy, dark green, oval leaves, slightly reddish, entire, bell-shaped flowers, purple-pink/white
- Flowering time: March to April
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Special feature: good container plant, bee-friendly
Broad-leaved orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis)
- Growth: bulbous, persistent, upright
- Growth height: 15 to 60 cm
- Appearance: lanceolate to ovate leaves, dark spotted, cylindrical inflorescences, crimson
- Flowering period: May to June
- Location: sun
- Special feature: good container plant and cut flower
Busy Lizzies (Impatiens walleriana)
- Growth: upright, cushion-forming
- Growth height: 20 to 40 cm
- Appearance: elliptical to lanceolate green leaves, toothed, plate-shaped flowers, violet, red, orange, pink, white
- Flowering period: May to October
- Location: partial shade to shade
- Special feature: not hardy, balcony and container plant
Heidenelke (Dianthus deltoides)
- Growth: cushion-forming, evergreen
- Growth height: 5 to 20 cm
- Appearance: narrow lanceolate leaves, dark green, plate-shaped flowers, pink
- Flowering period: June to August
- Location: sun
Küchenschelle/Kuhschelle (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
- Wuchs: holzige Rhizome, horstbildend, leicht überhängend
- Wuchshöhe: 15 bis 20 cm
- Aussehen: linealische doppelt gefiederte Blätter, grün, glockige Einzelblüten, violett, weiß, purpurrot, rosa
- Blütezeit: März bis April
- Standort: Sonne
- Besonderheit: giftig
Heidekrautgewächse
Alle Heidekrautgewächse lieben einen gut durchfeuchteten und sauren Boden:
Glockenheide/Moorheide (Erica tetralix)
- Wuchs: aufrechter Zwergstrauch, dicht, immergrün
- Wuchshöhe: 20 bis 50 cm
- Aussehen: nadelförmige Blätter, grün bis silbergrau, glockige Blüten in Doldentrauben, rosa
- Blütezeit: Juni bis September
- Standort: Sonne bis Halbschatten
Japanische Lavendelheide (Pieris japonica)
- Wuchs: aufrecht, strauchartig, immergrün
- Wuchshöhe: 100 bis 300 cm
- Aussehen: lanzettliche grüne Blätter, zugespitzt, glockige Blüten in Rispen stehend, rosa, weiß
- Flowering time: March to May
- Location: partial shade to shade
Rosmarinheide (Andromeda polifolia)
- Habit: Dwarf shrub, runner-forming, upright
- Growth height: 15 to 30 cm
- Appearance: lanceolate leaves, leathery green, rolled edges, drooping bell-shaped flowers, two to five together, pink/white
- Flowering period: May to July
- Location: sun
Snow Heather (Erica carnea)
- Habit: bushy dwarf shrub, evergreen, forms cushions
- Growth height: 10 to 30 cm
- Appearance: narrow linear leaves, needle-shaped, green, bell-shaped flowers in panicles, pink
- Flowering time: February to April
- Location: sun to semi-shade
rushes and sedges
Of course, rushes and sedges cannot be missing from the list. Many grow on acidic, moist or even dry soil.
Blue moor grass (Molinia caerulea)
- Growth: clump-forming, persistent, upright culms
- Growth height: 50 to 100 cm
- Appearance: Smooth culms, bluish-green leaves with a white central stripe, upright panicles of flowers, violet to dark purple
- Flowering period: July to September
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Special feature: good location at the edge of the pond
Flatterbinse (Juncus effusus)
- Growth: clump-forming, upright, aquatic plant/perennial
- Growth height: 70 to 80 cm
- Appearance: narrow rush-shaped leaves, green, inconspicuous brown spikes
- Flowering period: July to August
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Riesen-Segge / Hänge-Segge (Carex pendula)
- Habit: evergreen, forms clumps, overhanging, upright
- Growth height: 50 to 120 cm
- Appearance: ribbon-shaped leaves, tapering, dark green, green-brown hanging spikes, 20 cm long
- Flowering period: June to July
- Location: partial shade to shade
Scheiden-Wollgras (Eriophorum vaginatum)
- Growth: clump-forming, upright, evergreen
- Growth height: 20 to 60 cm
- Appearance: narrow linear leaves, green, white spikes
- Flowering time: March to May
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Wood rush/wood marbel (Luzula sylvatica)
- Growth: loose clumps, runner-forming, evergreen
- Growth height: 20 to 60 cm
- Appearance: grassy dark green leaves, brownish branched flower spikes
- Flowering time: April to June
- Location: partial shade to shade
