About
Erica vagans 'Lilacina' is an evergreen heather that carries chains of pink to lilac flowers on racemes. It forms a spreading subshrub up to about 75 cm in height and width with small, linear leaves in tight whorls. Flowers appear over an extended season from July to November and often show protruding brown stamens. The cultivar's racemes are a defining feature in late summer and autumn plantings.
About the genus
Erica is a genus of roughly 857 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names heath and heather are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance. The genus Calluna was formerly included in Erica; it differs in having even smaller scale-leaves, and the flower corolla consisting of separate petals.
Wikipedia contributors, "Erica (plant)", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Erica (plant)
In the garden
Erica vagans 'Lilacina' belongs to the Ericaceae and comes from the Cornish heath group of heathers; wild populations occur around parts of Ireland, Cornwall and coastal western Europe. The plant is an evergreen subshrub with small linear leaves set in whorls and produces fat, leafy spikes of globular flowers along wiry stems. In the UK it is particularly associated with the acidic soils of the Lizard peninsula, where those soil conditions favour its natural growth. Give Erica vagans 'Lilacina' an acid, lime-free spot to mirror the soils it favours in the wild and avoid alkaline ground. Plant where root disturbance is limited and where neighbours tolerate the same soil chemistry; companion planting with other ericaceous species works well because they share similar lime-free requirements. No synthetic measurements of hardiness are included here; select a sheltered, well-chosen site that matches the plant's preference for acid conditions. Where it performs best is in acid borders and heath-type groupings, where its racemes — often reaching around 14 cm — extend the flowering season from July to November. Those long, lilac-tinged spikes, with their dark stamens, are the cultivar's principal contribution to late-summer and autumn structure in a garden setting.
More in the Erica genus
- Erica carnea 'Diana Young'Winter Heath
- Erica gracilis 'Mister X'PBR
- Erica spiculifolia 'Mila'
- Erica vagans 'Chittendenii'Cornish Heath
- Erica x darleyensis 'Aurélie Brégeon'
- Erica mackayana f. eburnea 'Doctor Ronald Gray'Mackay's Heath
- Erica x darleyensis f. albiflora 'Ada S. Collings'