Ericas from South Africa

South Africa, and the fynbos crescent of the Western Cape in particular, is the world's undisputed Erica centre. We have less than 20 species in the whole of Europe; South Africa has over 650 at last count.  One has to set aside preconceptions of low bushy small leaved plants with tiny purple, pink or white bellish flowers living on heaths. There are tiny wispy trailers and great lanky shrubs over 2m tall; there are leaves from tiny scales to those several centimetres long; plants from hot exposed places and cool shady crevices, flowers in just about every colour  imaginable - except, perhaps true blue - and an extraordinary diversity of  flower size and form. Most people in Britain seem to believe that they are completely tender, egged on by ignorant 'received wisdom' in the gardening literature. This is demonstrably untrue.

It is much easier to grow them in pots than in the ground. Try a free draining, acidic compost, something on the lines of a typical ericaceous mix with added grit. Never let them dry out, even in summer, the Western Cape dry season. If you're feeling cautious, overwinter them in the unheated greenhouse or alpine house. We have them in a cold frame but only put a light over them, propped up to ensure good ventilation, in the hardest weather. I spoke to a Midlands enthusiast who gives them no protection at all. Repotting is tricky - minimize root damage; even then, we lose some in the following weeks. Once you know when flowering is initiated, experiment with light pruning. In some species frost does the job for you, nipping out only the softest tips.
In the ground is trickier. Acid soil in milder areas is a must. There have been promising reports from coastal and inland Cornwall, north Dartmoor and Torbay, but the last two winters were devastating in a way that they weren't for potted plants. How about Bagshot sand?

For a modern, fabulously illustrated treatment of most African species in the wild, we recommend Schumann & Kirsten's 'Ericas of South Africa' (1992) which you can get easily from Keith's Plant Books.

Always small numbers, and only a modest selection this year, but there are some more goodies in the pipeline…

Erica glauca var. elegans £4.50
Spectacular flowers, with green corolla and conspicuous white sepals and bracts. The buds are generally white from late autumn right through winter, and the flowers still have colour at the start of May. Surprising glaucous leaves. The stems shoot for the sky over the spring and summer. A carefully timed prune should help keep the plant under control.
Erica lutea white form £4.50
Heaps of interesting little white flowers: both calyx and tubular, starry-mouthed corolla are white. The stems are lax, even when small.
Erica aff. perspicua £4.50
Purple, white-tipped long tubular flowers. Bushy but potentially tall. Spring in the wild, autumn here. I think this tends to grow in open, moister habitats. There's been a nameing saga here - we've now established that it's not latituba - let's just say it's somewhere in the orbit of the poorly understood E. perspicua and leave it at that.
Erica tumida £4.50
Trusses of tubular dark red flowers on shoots which recall Bell Heather. Unflowered so far, but said to be spectacular.

Thumbnail images at top of page by courtesy of
Cameron and Rhoda MacMaster's African Bulbs Website