Spanish Heath - introduced (*Erica lusitanica)

Family: Ericaceae (Erica family).

Native of south-western Europe.

Occurrence: Widely scattered shrub which may be locally abundant. It is an environmental weed.

Identification:

• the small narrow leaves (about 5 mm long) are in rings of (usually) four around the stems
• the flowers are pink to white and bell-shaped, and narrow slightly at the end
• the flowers are clustered along the short side branches
• it is a shrub to about 2 metres high.

This weed appears to be increasing in abundance. Its seeds can be spread by wind and water. It can also be spread vegetatively.

In a water race leak at Elphinstone it is well over head height.

Photos 1: R: Branch of Spanish Heath. Derby Hill, Maldon.
2: In flower. Harcourt. 3: Erica infested gully. Maldon.