Herb: Darley Dale Heath


Latin name: Erica x darleyensis


Synonyms: Erica mediterranea hybrida


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
November
to May

Habitat of Darley Dale Heath:

Not known in the wild.

Other uses of the herb:

An admirable dense ground cover plant, though it might need weeding for the first year. It can be clipped in spring to give denser growth. Plants should be spaced about 60cm apart each way. Plants can be grown as a low hedge, the cultivar "Furzey" is often used.

Propagation of Darley Dale Heath:

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. This species is a hybrid and will not breed true from seed. 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 the herb:

Not known in the wild.

Medicinal use of Darley Dale Heath:

None known

Known hazards of Erica x darleyensis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.