Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Shrubs

Erica sessiliflora

white bottlebrush heath

An erect shrub, to 2m in height, with upright or spreading, needle-like leaves. Dense clusters of greenish-white, tubular flowers are produced from late winter to spring. Later, the sepals swell, protecting the seeds, to produce red or greenish-yellow fruiting clusters that turn brown and remain on the plant for several years

Other common names

green heath

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ericaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Erica can be prostrate or erect, evergreen shrubs with fine, needle-like leaves in whorls, and racemes or panicles of small, bell-shaped or tubular flowers
Name status: Unresolved
Plant range: S Africa (Cape)

How to grow

Cultivation

In mild areas, grow in moist but not waterlogged, acidic soil in full sun in a sheltered position. Elsewhere grow in an unheated greenhouse in lime-free potting compost with extra sharp sand, making sure the compost is kept moist

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in mid- or late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Mediterranean climate plants
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Patio and container plants

Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal diseases, including honey fungus (rarely), and Phytophthora root rot, in wet conditions

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.