Erica carnea

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Erica carnea
Schneeheide (Erica herbacea) im Schnee.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Erica
Species:
E. carnea
Binomial name
Erica carnea
L.
Synonyms
  • Erica herbacea
  • Erica mediterranea

Erica carnea, the winter heath, [1] winter-flowering heather, spring heath or alpine heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to mountainous areas of central, eastern and southern Europe, where it grows in coniferous woodlands or stony slopes.

Contents

Description

It is a low-growing, spreading subshrub reaching 10–25 centimetres (4–10 inches) tall, with evergreen needle-like leaves 4–8 millimetres (1838 in) long, borne in whorls of four. The flowers are produced in racemes in late winter to early spring, often starting to flower while the plant is still covered in snow; the individual flower is a slender bell-shape, 4–6 mm (31614 in) long, dark reddish-pink, rarely white.

Taxonomy

The first published name for the species was Erica herbacea; however, the name E. carnea (published three pages later in the same book) is so widely used, and the earlier name so little, that a formal proposal to conserve the name E. carnea over E. herbacea was accepted by the International Botanical Congress in 1999.

The Latin specific epithet carnea means "flesh pink". [2]

Cultivation

Erica carnea 003.JPG
Cultivar series Springwood Erica carnea Springwood.JPG
Cultivar series Springwood
A close-up of the flower and leaf Erica carnea close-up.jpg
A close-up of the flower and leaf

Erica carnea was being cultivated in the United Kingdom as early as 1763. [3] It is very widely grown as an ornamental plant for its winter flowering; over 100 cultivars have been selected for variation in flower and leaf colour. Unlike most species of Erica, which are typically calcifuges, it tolerates mildly alkaline as well as acidic soils, making it easier to grow in many areas. Like other species within the genus Erica it is often seen as groundcover amongst plantings of dwarf conifers. [4]

The following cultivars, forms and hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Erica arborea</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica arborea, the tree heath or tree heather, is a species of flowering plant (angiosperms) in the heather family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin and Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. It is also cultivated as an ornamental.

<i>Erica</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae

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. Erica is sometimes referred to as "winter heather" to distinguish it from Calluna "summer heather".

<i>Alstroemeria</i> Genus of South American flowering plants

Alstroemeria, commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America, although some have become naturalized in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Almost all of the species are restricted to one of two distinct centers of diversity: one in central Chile and southern Argentina, the other in eastern Brazil. Species of Alstroemeria from Patagonia are winter-growing plants, while those of Brazil are summer growing. All are long-lived perennials except A. graminea, a diminutive annual from the Atacama Desert of Chile.

<i>Calluna</i> Flowering plant in the heather family

Calluna vulgaris, common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to 20 to 50 centimetres tall, or rarely to 1 metre (40 in) and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade.

<i>Daboecia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the heath family Ericaceae

Daboecia, or St. Dabeoc's heath, is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, containing two evergreen shrubs, closely related to the genus Erica. They are native to cliffs and heathland in southern Atlantic Europe and the Azores.

<i>Hydrangea macrophylla</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae

Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Japan. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft) broad with large heads of pink or blue flowers in summer and autumn. Common names include bigleaf hydrangea, French hydrangea, lacecap hydrangea, mophead hydrangea, and hortensia. It is widely cultivated in many parts of the world in many climates. It is not to be confused with H. aspera 'Macrophylla'.

<i>Wisteria floribunda</i> Species of legume

Wisteria floribunda, common name Japanese wisteria, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Japan. Growing to 9 m (30 ft), Wisteria floribunda is a woody, deciduous twining climber. It was first brought from Japan to the United States in the 1830s. It is a common subject for bonsai, along with Wisteria sinensis.

<i>Erica vagans</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica vagans, the Cornish heath or wandering heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to Ireland, Cornwall, western France and Spain. It is a vigorous, spreading, evergreen heather reaching 75 cm (30 in) tall and wide, with pink flowers borne in racemes 14 cm (6 in) long in summer and autumn. The Latin specific epithet vagans literally means "wandering"; in this context it means "widely distributed".

<i>Erica cinerea</i> Species of flowering plant in the heather family Ericaceae

Erica cinerea, the bell heather, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to western and central Europe.

<i>Erica tetralix</i> Species of flowering plant in the heather family Ericaceae

Erica tetralix, the cross-leaved heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to western Europe.

<i>Lavandula angustifolia</i> Species of plant

Lavandula angustifolia, formerly L. officinalis, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean. Its common names include lavender, true lavender and English lavender ; also garden lavender, common lavender and narrow-leaved lavender.

<i>Cornus alba</i> Species of flowering plant

Cornus alba, the red-barked, white or Siberian dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae, native to Siberia, northern China and Korea. It is a large deciduous surculose (suckering) shrub that can be grown as a small tree. As a popular ornamental used in landscaping its notable features include the red stems in fall (autumn) through late winter, bright winter bark; and the variegated foliage in some cultivars, such as C. alba 'Elegantissima'. C. alba can grow to 3 m (10 ft) high, but variegated forms are less vigorous. For the brightest winter bark, young shoots are encouraged by cutting to the ground some older stems at the end of the winter, before leaves are open. The oval fruits are white, sometimes tinted blue.

<i>Erica lusitanica</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica lusitanica is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, known by the common names Portuguese heath and Spanish heath.

<i>Hydrangea serrata</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae

Hydrangea serrata is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to mountainous regions of Korea and Japan. Common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. Growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and broad, it is a deciduous shrub with oval leaves and panicles of blue and pink flowers in summer and autumn (fall). It is widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental shrub throughout the world in areas with suitable climate and soil.

<i>Campanula lactiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Campanula lactiflora, the milky bellflower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Campanula of the family Campanulaceae, native to Turkey and the Caucasus. It is a medium-sized herbaceous perennial growing to 1.2 m, with narrow, toothed leaves 5–12 cm (2–5 in) long. Large conical clusters of open, star-shaped flowers are produced on branching stems in summer. In favourable conditions it will self-seed with variable results. The flowers are usually white or pale blue, but numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in a range of colours.

<i>Erica erigena</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica erigena, the Irish heath, is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.

<i>Erica canaliculata</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica canaliculata, the channelled heath or hairy grey heather, is a South African species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.

<i>Erica terminalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica terminalis, the Corsican heath or upright heath, is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.

<i>Erica australis</i> Species of flowering plant

Erica australis, the Spanish heath or Southern tree heath, is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.

<i>Erica <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> darleyensis</i> Hybrid species of flowering plant

Erica × darleyensis, is a plant hybrid between the heathers E. carnea and E. erigena, probably of garden origin.

References

  1. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN   9781845337315.
  3. Brian Proudley; Valerie Proudley (1989). Heathers in Colour (2nd ed.). Blandford Press. p. 15. ISBN   0713714204. Heathers as garden plants have a surprisingly long history. The valuable winter-flowering Erica carnea was, according to the Royal Horticultural Society's Dictionary of Gardening, introduced into cultivation in this country as long ago as 1763
  4. 1 2 RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1405332965.
  5. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 35. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Adrienne Duncan'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  7. "Erica carnea 'Ann Sparkes'". RHS. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  8. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Challenger'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  9. "Erica carnea 'Eva'". RHS. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  10. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Loughrigg'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  11. "Erica carnea 'March Seedling'". RHS. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  12. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Myretoun Ruby'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  13. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Nathalie'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  14. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Pink Spangles'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  15. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Rosalie'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  16. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica carnea 'Vivellii'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  17. "Erica carnea 'Wintersonne'". RHS. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  18. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. alba 'Golden Starlet'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  19. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. alba 'Ice Princess'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  20. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. alba 'Isabell'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  21. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. alba 'Springwood White'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  22. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. aureifolia 'Foxhollow'" . Retrieved 18 June 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  23. "RHS Plant Selector - E. carnea f. aureifolia 'Westwood Yellow'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  24. "RHS Plant Selector - Erica × darleyensis 'Jenny Porter'" . Retrieved 7 June 2020.