natural herbs
Fire Heath
Erica cerinthoides
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:
EvergreenShrub
Height:
150 cm(5 feet)
Flowering:
May toOctober
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 knownKnown hazards of Erica cerinthoides:
None knownPlant information taken from the Plants For A Future.