Calluna vulgaris – flowering top of heather

An iconic plant of European moors, heather offers a light and fragrant plant material once dried. Highly valued for purification rituals and skin care, it is often incorporated into baths or homemade wellness preparations.

Description

Mixture of dried flowers and tender parts of the plant. Pink to light brown color. Light texture. Sweet, floral, and slightly woody odor.

Nomenclature

• Common names: Heather, heather
• Latin name: Calluna vulgaris
• Family: Ericaceae
• Part used: Flowering top
• Form: Cut, dried
• Origin: Temperate Europe, moors and acid soils
• English name: Heather tops
• Name in German: Heidekrautspitzen
• Name in Spanish: Cimas de brezo
• Name in Italian: Sommità di erica
• Name in Arabic: قمم الخلنج المجففة (Qimam al-Khilanj al-Mujafafa)

Main virtues

Infused, heather is known for its soothing properties. It is used in relaxing herbal teas, treatment baths, or to purify the skin externally.

Main constituents

Flavonoids, arbutin, tannins, phenolic acids, saponins (traces).

Use and dosage

• Infusion: 2 teaspoons in 250 ml of boiling water, infuse for 10 minutes.
• Floral bath: a handful in a sachet to infuse in hot bath water.
• Poultice: concentrated infusion applied to the skin using warm compresses.

Precautions, side effects and contraindications

• Do not use if you have a known allergy to plants in the Ericaceae family.
• Moderate use recommended over long periods.
• Keep out of reach of children.

History and origin

A symbol of strength and purification in Celtic and Germanic cultures, heather was used in fumigation, infusions, and skin care. It remains a staple plant in natural herbal practices.

Miscellaneous information

• Storage: Store in a dry place, away from light and in an airtight container.
• Packaging: kraft bag, metal box, opaque glass jar.
• Appearance: dry and light floral and leafy plant fragments.
• Smell: floral, herbaceous and woody.

Sources and references

• Pl@ntUse – https://uses.plantnet-project.org
• European herbalism
• Corpus of traditional herbal medicine
• INPN Data – National Inventory of Natural Heritage

🔎 Information

The products on aromacentre.fr are not medicines. They are natural, plant-based treatments. All usage advice on our site is for informational purposes only. Any additional requests should be made to a qualified healthcare professional. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods, we are unable to publish this information on the site. Taking this product does not exempt you from consulting a doctor or prescribing it. Ask your doctor or healthcare practitioner for advice. Be sure to read the precautions for use before using any medicinal plants. The use of herbal preparations is not recommended without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with medications prescribed by the patient, reducing their therapeutic effectiveness or causing toxicity. They can also worsen the weakening of the body's vital functions, thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life-threatening risks.

Disclaimer

The Apophycaire brand, the aromacentre.fr website, and SAS LPBE disclaim all liability for the use of the information on this site. Each individual is responsible for the use of these products and must ensure that their use is appropriate for their health.