Erica erigena
| Erica erigena | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 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 |
| Species: | E. erigena |
| Binomial name | |
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Erica erigena R.Ross |
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Erica erigena, the 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. Its appearance in the far west of Ireland, separated from the main Mediterranean populations, suggests a garden escape.
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:
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