ERICA carnea

'Heath'. One of the most widely planted dwarf shrubs in cultivation, forming dense hummocks and mats covered with rosy-red flowers throughout winter. There are innumerable cultivars available in a wide range of shades through the white-pink-purple spectrum. The early cultivars begin flowering in November and the latest in Apri, but the majority are mid-season January to March. All are lime-tolerant but not recommended for shallow chalk soils. Heights may be taken as 15-25cm.(6)