About
Compact, spreading evergreen shrub to about 30cm high and 45cm wide, with tiny, needle-like, fresh green leaves, the young shoots tipped yellow in spring. Dense racemes of urn-shaped flowers, with constricted mouths, pale lilac, darkening with age, appear from midsummer to autumn.
About the genus
Erica can be prostrate or erect, evergreen shrubs with fine, needle-like leaves in whorls, and racemes or panicles of small, bell-shaped or tubular flowers
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitSpreading branched, Bushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationBest grown in neutal to acid well-drained soil in an open site with full sun. Ideal for growing in containers in lime free (ericaceous) potting compost. See Hardy heathers and erica cultivation
PruningPruning group 10 after flowering
PropagationPropagate by semi-ripe cuttings in mid or late summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to fungal diseases, including honey fungus (rarely), and Phytophthora root rot, in wet conditions