Erica cinerea
Common name
bell heather
Family
Ericaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
ERICIN
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Low stature shrub and tussock communities
Detailed description
Small shrub sometimes very low and mat forming. Lvs in whorls of three sometimes opposite, 3-6 mm long, revolute with contiguous margins concealing the lower surface, glabroous except sometimes ciliolate margin. Petioles very short. Fls in terminal racemes, sometimes appearing umbellate. Corolla c. 6 mm long, urceolate, purple, rose, pink or occasionally white, glabrous. Style sometimes sticks out a bit from the corolla. Capsule c. 1.5 mm long.
Flowering
December, January, February
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Violet/Purple
Life cycle
People often grow cultivars of this plant and are the chief dispersers.
Year naturalised
1940
Origin
W. Europe
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Etymology
erica: From the Greek ereika ‘heath’ or ‘heather’
cinerea: Ash-grey