| Erica erigena | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Erica |
| Species: | E. erigena |
| Binomial name | |
| Erica erigena | |
Erica erigena, the Irish heath, [1] is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.
It is a compact evergreen shrub growing to 75 centimetres (30 inches), with somewhat brittle foliage and deep pink honey-scented flowers in winter and spring. [2] [3] The leaves are 4-whorled, measuring 5–8 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) in length and turning dark green at maturity. [4]
Originally known as Erica mediterranea, the species was renamed in 1969 by R. Ross. The species name erigena comes from Erin of Ireland as "one applicable to something of Irish origin". E. mediterranea is now more commonly used to refer to E. carnea . [5]
It is native to Ireland, southwestern France, Spain, Portugal and Tangier. Its appearance in the far west of Ireland, separated from the main Mediterranean populations, suggests a garden escape. [6] It prefers cliffs and heathland.
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: [7]
Media related to Erica erigena at Wikimedia Commons
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.
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".
Erica cinerea, the bell heather, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to western and central Europe.
Erica carnea, the winter heath, 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.
Erica tetralix, the cross-leaved heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to western Europe.
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.
Geranium sanguineum, common name bloody crane's-bill or bloody geranium, is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the cranesbill family Geraniaceae. It is the county flower of Northumberland.
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.
Spiraea japonica, the Japanese meadowsweet or Japanese spiraea, is a plant in the family Rosaceae.
Gaultheria mucronata is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to southern Argentina and Chile.
Erica lusitanica is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, known by the common names Portuguese heath and Spanish heath.
Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Korean: danpungnamu, 단풍나무, Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Korea, Japan, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.
Chrysojasminum humile, the Italian jasmine or yellow jasmine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Oleaceae, native to Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma (Myanmar), the Himalayas and south west China. The species is widely cultivated and reportedly naturalized in Greece, Sicily and the former Yugoslavia.
Heliopsis helianthoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, known by the common names rough oxeye, smooth oxeye and false sunflower. It is native to eastern and central North America from Saskatchewan east to Newfoundland and south as far as Texas, New Mexico, and Georgia.
Viola cornuta, known as horned pansy or horned violet, is a species of flowering plant in the violet family Violaceae, native to the Pyrenees and the Cordillera Cantábrica of northern Spain at an altitude of 1,000–2,300 metres (3,300–7,500 ft). It is a low-growing, clump-forming temperate evergreen perennial, reaching 50 cm (20 in) in height and spread. It has mid-green ovate leaves with rounded teeth, and masses of delicate pale violet flowers in early summer. The flower consists of five strap-shaped petals with a slender spur.
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.
Coronilla valentina, the shrubby scorpion-vetch, scorpion vetch or bastard senna, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Coronilla of the legume family Fabaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin, and introduced into Kenya and the United States. It is an evergreen shrub growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall and wide, with pea-like foliage and fragrant, brilliant yellow flowers in spring and summer, followed by slender pods. Linnaeus observed that the flowers, remarkably fragrant in the daytime, are almost scentless at night.
Dryopteris dilatata, the broad buckler-fern, is a robust species of deciduous or semievergreen fern in the family Dryopteridaceae, native to Europe, particularly western and central Europe. In southern Europe, it is mostly found in mountainous regions. It is also found between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. It grows to 90 cm (35 in) tall by 120 cm (47 in) wide, with dark green tripinnate fronds, the ribs covered in brown scales.
Primula pulverulenta, the mealy primrose or mealy cowslip, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is native to damp habitats in China. It is a herbaceous perennial growing to 100 cm (39 in) tall by 60 cm (24 in) broad, with strong stems of deep pink flowers arising from basal rosettes of leaves in early summer. The flowers are grouped at intervals along the stem in a tiered formation, hence the common name "candelabra primula" which is often applied to this and other species with a similar arrangement.
Erica × darleyensis, is a plant hybrid between the heathers E. carnea and E. erigena, probably of garden origin.