Practical
Plants

Erica cerinthoides

Fire Heath

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Erica genus in the family Ericaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Erica
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The flowers are sucked for their abundant sweet nectar[4][5].

Product or use
Nectar

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is fire-resistant.

Product or use
Fire retardant

Environment

Range
S. Africa from the Cape to northern Transvaal and Swaziland.
Habitat
Dry flats and in the mountains[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow in a sandy compost in a cold frame in spring. Keep moist. Prick out the plants as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them in their permanent positions when they are 5 - 8cm tall[3]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 3cm long taken from twiggy lateral growths near the base of the plant, July/August in a frame. Remove the leaves from the bottom part of the stem without causing any damage to the bark. The cuttings root in a few weeks if they are given some bottom heat. Plant out in spring[3]. Layering in spring or autumn. Plants can be 'dropped' and then dug up and divided about 6 - 12 months later. Dropping involves digging up the plant and then replanting it about 15 - 20cm deeper in the soil to encourage roots to form along the stems[9].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a light lime-free loam[1]. A calcifuge plant, requiring a pH below 6[6]. Grows best in a poor soil[3]. Prefers an open situation[1]. This species is unlikely to be hardy in Britain. One report suggests that it can be grown in the milder areas[1], but another says that it is not frost-tolerant[7]. In the wild the plant is often burnt down in fires, resprouting from the base[8]. Indeed, this regular burning keeps the plant healthy and, in cultivation, it is advisable to prune the plant back hard each year and to dress it with a light dressing of bonfire soil[8]. A good bee plant[2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  6. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  8. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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