1 / 4

Key characteristics

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

Groundcovers

x Phylliopsis hillieri 'Sugar Plum'

Sugar Plum Hillier Phylliopsis

× 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.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Early to mid spring

Find this plant

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.