Botanical name

Erica coccinea subsp. coccinea

Family

Ericaceae
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea
Erica coccinea  subsp. coccinea

Description

Rigid, stoutly branched shrub up to 1.2 m. Leaves are 3-nate, mostly on short side branchlets; flowers tubular, yellow, orange or red, 6-17mm long with far exserted anthers that hang downwards.

Latin: coccum = the cochineal insect, a scarlet dye; referring to the red form of this species.

The scarlet form was named by Linnaeus in 1753.

Habitat

Rocky flats and wet mountain slopes

Flower Date

January to December.