| Erica erigena | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| E. erigena in flower with gorse (Ulex), Lough Carrowmore, western Ireland | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Erica L. |
| Species: | E. erigena |
Erica erigena (Irish heath) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to cliffs and heathland in Ireland, southwestern France, Spain, Portugal and Tangier. It is a compact, evergreen shrub growing to 75 cm (30 in), with somewhat brittle foliage and deep pink honey-scented flowers in winter and spring.[1][2] Its appearance in the far west of Ireland, separated from the main Mediterranean populations, suggests a garden escape.[3]
In cultivation it is often seen as groundcover amongst dwarf conifers. Like others of its kind, it is a calcifuge, preferring an open sunny site with well-drained acid soil. Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-
- E. erigena 'Irish Dusk'[4]
- E. erigena f. alba 'W.T. Rackliff'[5] (white-flowered)
- E. erigena f. aureifolia 'Golden Lady'[6] (golden leaved)
References [edit]
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- ^ http://www.greatplantpicks.org/plantlists/view/563
- ^ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.3390050102/abstract
- ^ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=2888
- ^ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5685
- ^ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=2887
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