Northwest Blooms · Groundcovers
x Phylliopsis hillieri 'Sugar Plum'
Sugar Plum Hillier Phylliopsis
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 6 to 12 in
- Width
- 18 to 24 in
- Flower color
- Small, urn-shaped blossoms in clear pink to rose-pink
- Foliage color
- Fine, needle-like evergreen foliage in soft blue-green tones
- Bloom time
- Early to mid spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; slow growing and tidy, requiring only occasional removal of winter-damaged tips
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 6 to 8
- Wildlife
- Bees and other early spring pollinators
About this plant
× Phylliopsis hillieri 'Sugar Plum' is a compact, mounded evergreen plant with fine, needlelike foliage in soft gray-green tones that create a smooth, cushionlike surface year-round. In mid to late spring, the plant is covered with small, urn-shaped flowers in gentle plum-pink shades, the blooms held closely along the stems so color appears woven through the foliage. This cultivated hybrid arose from crosses within Asian alpine heaths selected for refined habit and reliable flowering.
It brings enduring structure to rock gardens, troughs, and well-defined borders, where the tidy evergreen form provides continuity beyond the bloom period. Seasonal flowering adds delicate color without interrupting surrounding plantings, allowing subtle transitions among stones, dwarf conifers, and other compact plants.
Works well in
Rock Gardens · Borders · Containers · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Arabis · Spireas · Lavenders · Blanket flowers · Blue fescue · Stonecrops
Design tip
Position this compact evergreen where its refined form provides structure long after flowering has finished. Combine rounded mounds with contrasting upright accents and natural stone to create a balanced alpine planting that offers color, texture, and year-round visual appeal.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
