Bell Heather

Description:

Irish Name: Fraoch Cloigíneach This short, hairless, evergreen undershrub is also known as Ling. It is a much loved sight on hills, moorland and dry acid soils of Ireland. Blooming from June to September, the bell-shaped, pink/purple flowers are 5-6mm long and occasionally white. The 'bell' in fact is four petals fused together. Bell Heather's leaves are narrow, dark-green – sometimes bronzy - and in whorls of 3 up the stems. This is a native plant and belongs to the family Ericaceae. Most of the species are small shrubs from 0.2-1.5 m high, though some are taller. All are evergreen, with minute needle-like leaves 2–15 mm long. Flowers are sometimes axillary, and sometimes in terminal umbels or spikes, and are usually outward or downward facing. Flowers are borne in mass, and the plants are grown as landscape or garden plants for their floral effect. Wild species of Heather flowers are usually in purple or mauve shades. The flower's various cultivars come in colors ranging from white, through pink, a wide range of purples and reds. Different varieties of Heather flowers bloom from late July to November in the northern hemisphere. The flowers may turn brown but still remain on the plants over winter, and this can lead to interesting effects.

Habitat:

Erica species are mainly calcifugous, being limited to acidic or very acidic soils – from dry, sandy soils to extremely wet ones such as bog. They often dominate dwarf-shrub habitats (heathland and moorland), or the ground vegetation of open acidic woodland.