Photo: Consultaplantas, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Shrub · Ericaceae
Irish heath
Erica erigena
In other languages: Heide (Nederlands) · Bruyère (Français)
Irish heath, Erica erigena, is an upright, evergreen heather from south-western Europe, with a few small wild populations in the west of Ireland, hence its English name. It grows into a shrub 60 cm to a metre tall, with fine, dark or light green needles. From February to May it is covered in small pink or white bells with a light honey scent, at a time when bees and bumblebees still find little to eat. Unlike most heathers, it tolerates some lime in the soil.
Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal to wet
must not dry out
Legal basis
Sand, loam or peat
any pH
Hardiness
down to -15 °C
protect young plants
Size
1 m
tall, 0.8 m wide
Flowering
February–May
| Pruning months | May |
|---|---|
| Height | 1 m |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous |
| Flowering | February–May |
Identify
Irish heath: how do you recognise it?
- Habit
- Upright, dense shrub 0.6–1 m tall and up to 80 cm wide.
- Leaf
- Needle-like, in whorls of four, dark to light green; yellow or gold in some cultivars.
- Flower
- Small, tubular bells of 5–7 mm, pink to white, with dark stamens just sticking out.
- Flowering
- From February to May, depending on the cultivar and the winter.
- Scent
- Lightly of honey, especially on a warm day.
Flowering: February–May · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: May
In your garden
Why grow it?
- Flowers from February into May: early food for bees and bumblebees.
- Lightly scented flowers, especially on a sunny, still day.
- Evergreen, with an upright shape that gives structure to a heather garden.
- Tolerates some lime, so it is less fussy than many other heathers.
- Suitable as a low hedge or as a taller backdrop for low winter heathers.
Irish heath: where does it grow best?
- Sun to light shade; it flowers best in sun.
- Acid to slightly chalky soil: sand, loam or peat with humus.
- Moist and well drained; not dry, poor soil.
- A sheltered spot: cold east wind and hard frost can scorch the tips.
- Plant 50–60 cm apart, or 3 per m² for a closed group.
- Light
- Sun and partial shade
- Soil type
- Sand, loam or peat
- Acidity
- Not fussy
- Moisture
- Normal or wet
- Size
- 1 m tall, 0.8 m wide
- Hardiness
- Hardy (to -15 °C)
Goes well with
- Winter heath: Low Erica carnea and Erica x darleyensis flower at the same time at its feet.
- Ling heather: Brings flowers in late summer, when this heather is over.
- Crocus: Early bulbs among the heathers for even more food for bees.
- Dwarf conifer: Evergreen shapes that suit a heather garden.
- Pieris: A taller evergreen shrub for the same slightly acid soil.
Maintenance
Irish heath: when and how to plant it?
Plant in April–May and September.
- Plant in April–May or in September, when the soil is moist.
- Mix compost or leaf mould into the soil; add some sand to heavy clay for drainage.
- Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, or slightly deeper.
- Water well after planting, preferably with rainwater.
- Mulch with fine bark or pine needles.
Care
- Water
- Keep the soil moist, especially in the first year and in dry summers.
- Feeding
- Little needed; some ericaceous fertiliser or compost in spring is enough.
- Mulching
- A layer of bark or leaf mould keeps the soil moist and cool.
- Lime
- Tolerates some lime, but grows best in slightly acid soil.
- Shape
- Naturally upright and dense; trim lightly after flowering.
Tip: Plant a group of three or five behind an edge of low winter heathers: you will have a flowering heather garden on two levels from February to May.
Irish heath: when to prune it?
Pruning months: May.
When: After flowering, in May.
How:
- Lightly trim the faded tips with secateurs or shears.
- Do not cut into old, bare wood: the plant regrows from it poorly.
- A light trim every year keeps the shrub dense and stops it opening up in the middle.
Caution: Do not prune in autumn or winter: you would remove the flower buds for spring.
Propagation
- Cuttings
- In July–August: side shoots of 4–6 cm in cutting compost with sand, under plastic or in a cold frame.
- Layering
- In spring, press a low shoot into the soil and cover with sand; cut it free after a year.
Irish heath: how does it get through the winter?
Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.
- Hardy to about −15 °C, but cold, dry wind can turn the tips brown.
- Evergreen, with the first flower buds already visible in winter.
- Protect young plants in hard frost with conifer branches or fleece.
- Cut away brown tips in May, together with the trim.
Diseases and pests
- Brown tips: Caused by frost or cold wind. Cut them off after flowering; choose a sheltered spot.
- Yellow leaves: Too much lime or too dry. Use rainwater and acid compost.
- Root rot: Caused by wet, heavy soil. Improve the drainage.
Through the year
- February: Start of flowering.
- March: Full flower. Bees and bumblebees.
- April: Flowering continues. Planting.
- May: Trim after flowering. Planting.
- July: Take cuttings. Water in dry spells.
- September: Planting.
- December: Protect young plants in hard frost.
Use
Good for wildlife
- Bees
- Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.
You and this species
Did you know?
- Erica erigena grows wild in Ireland, far from the rest of its range in Spain, Portugal and southern France; it is thought to have arrived there long ago by ship.
- It is a parent of the popular hybrid Erica x darleyensis, a cross with the winter heath Erica carnea.