Erica terminalis

RHS Plant Profile

Corsican heath

RHS 1999

Other common names

upright heath

Synonyms

Erica corsica
Erica stricta
Erica terminalis stricta

Shrubs

A bushy evergreen tree-heath making an erect small shrub with mid-green foliage and rose-pink flowers in terminal clusters in summer and early autumn; the rusty-brown faded flowers persist well into winter

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

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): H4

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Ericaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: 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: Correct
Plant Range: SW Mediterranean

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow outdoors in fertile but but well-drained soil in a warm frost-free area. Grow under glass in peat-free, loam-based compost in full or bright filtered light. Tip prune in spring to promote branching. See Hardy heathers for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by leaf-bud or stem tip cuttings, or by layering in spring or summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Patio and container plants
Cottage and informal garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 11

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

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