Erica versicolor

Erica versicolor is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to South Africa’s Cape Province.

Erica versicolor
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Erica
Species:
E. versicolor
Binomial name
Erica versicolor

In cultivation E. versicolor requires well-drained acidic soil and a sheltered situation in full sun. It cannot tolerate freezing temperatures. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[2]

Description

Erica versicolor is an evergreen shrub growing to 3 m (9.8 ft) tall by 1 m (3.3 ft) broad, bearing tiny needle-like leaves and long tubular flowers up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in length. The flowers have a two-tone appearance, predominantly red with green or yellow tips (hence the Latin specific epithet versicolor), and bloom from October until April.[2] The leaves are trifoliate, smooth, and a deep green. The branches of the plant are nearly simple.[3]

References
  1. "Erica versicolor". The Plant List. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  2. "RHS Plantfinder - Erica versicolor". Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  3. Andrews, Henry Cranke (1804). The Heathery: Or, A Monograph of the Genus Erica with Latin and English Descriptions, Dissections, Etc. of All the Known Species of that Extensive and Distinguished Tribe of Plants. Richard Taylor.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.