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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Ericaceae (Heaths, Heathers) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Pink |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Height: 3-4 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Erica baueri (Bridal Heath) A tall upright shrub to 4 to 5 feet tall but most often seen to around 3 feet with small gray-green leaves and nearly 1 inch long tubular bright magenta-pink flowers clustered in whorls near branch tips year-round. The flowers are puffed up a bit with a white tip and age to a paler pink color. Plant in full sun and water occasionally to very little. It is native to sandy well-drained acidic soils but seems to tolerate a wide range of conditions and is known to perform well even in heavier clay soils so long as water can drain away and irrigation practices are more carefully monitored. Hardy to at least 25 F and quite tolerant of windy coastal conditions. Prune to keep dense and in a neat shape, otherwise plants get a little open and tall. This plant is a very popular plant in its native South Africa, likely because it is both showy and long lived in cultivation. The terminal flower spikes also are great for cut flower use and makes a beautiful container plant but care needs to be exercised as Erica in containers do not tolerate soils completely drying out. This plant is native to the Riversdale and Albertinia districts of the Cape Province of South Africa in an area between the Langeberg Mountain Range and the ocean. It grows with tall restios (Thamnochortus insignis) in a vegetation type called the Acid Sandplain Fynbos. This area is severely threatened by urban sprawl and the species is considered Critically Endangered. From this location it is also known as Albertinia Heath. The specific name was given to this plant by the botanical artist Henry Charles Andrews (1794 - 1830), in his "Heathery" that was published in 1805 and honors fellow artist Francis Bauer, a botanical artist to King George III.
The information about Erica baueri displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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