Winter Heath

Description:

Species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae native to mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. It is a low-growing, spreading subshrub reaching 10–25 cm tall, with evergreen needle-like leaves 4-8 mm 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 long, dark reddish-pink, rarely white.

Habitat:

Grows in coniferous woodlands (Pinus nigra) on stony slopes.