Herb: Fire Heath


Latin name: Erica cerinthoides


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Edible parts of Fire Heath:

The flowers are sucked for their abundant sweet nectar.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
May to
October

Habitat of the herb:

Dry flats and in the mountains.

Other uses of Fire Heath:

The plant is fire-resistant.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - surface sow in a sandy compost in a cold frame in spring. Keep moist. Prick out the plants as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them in their permanent positions when they are 5 - 8cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 3cm long taken from twiggy lateral growths near the base of the plant, July/August in a frame. Remove the leaves from the bottom part of the stem without causing any damage to the bark. The cuttings root in a few weeks if they are given some bottom heat. Plant out in spring. Layering in spring or autumn. Plants can be "dropped" and then dug up and divided about 6 - 12 months later. Dropping involves digging up the plant and then replanting it about 15 - 20cm deeper in the soil to encourage roots to form along the stems.

Cultivation of Fire Heath:

Dry flats and in the mountains.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Erica cerinthoides:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.