Erica arborea

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Magnoliophyta
Classis: Magnoliopsida
Ordo: Ericales
Familia: Ericaceae
Subfamilia: Ericoideae
Tribus: Ericeae
Genus: Erica
Species: Erica arborea
Varieties: E. a. var. alpina

Name

Erica arborea L.

References

* Species Plantarum 1:353. 1753
* USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06]. 15443

Vernacular names
Català: Bruc boal
Cymraeg: Grugwydden
Deutsch: Baumheide
Ελληνικά: Ανοιξιάτικο ρείκι
English: Tree Heath, Brier
Español: Brezo Blanco
Esperanto: Vepreja eriko
Français: Bruyère Arborescente, Bruyère Blanche
Galego: Uz branca
Nederlands: Boomhei
日本語: ブライヤ
Русский: Эрика древовидная
Svenska: Trädljung

The tree heath (Erica arborea) is a shrub or small evergreen tree with a typical height of 1-4m, with some specimens reaching 7m. The numerous small flowers are white. The tree heath prefers acid soil. It is found mostly in the Macchia, dry evergreen shrublands, all around the Mediterranean region, west to Portugal and the Canary and Madeira Islands, and with disjunct areas in Africa including the Ethiopian Highlands, the mountains of Ruwenzori and the Cameroon mountains.

The wood known as briar root wood, or French bruyère is an extremely hard and heat-resistant wood used for making smoking pipes and knife handles.

Other tall growing heaths, including the Portugal Heath (Erica lusitanica) may also sometimes be called tree heath.

References

* Adams, W.M., A.S. Goudie & A. R. Orme (eds.) (1996): The Physical Geography of Africa. Page 55. Oxford University Press, 1996.