Erica arborea Alpina - Tree Heath

The Tree Heather 'Alpina' is a variety of compact tree heather but with early and remarkably abundant white flowering. From the end of winter, the bush disappears under many fragrant and melliferous clusters. Its green, delicate, and dense foliage remains attractive in winter. With its wild charm, the tree heather blends perfectly into a large rock garden or a free hedge. Moderately hardy but frugal, it is perfect for coastal areas and poor, acidic to neutral, even dry soils.

The 'Alpina' arborescent heather is a German horticultural selection by Dieck from 1899. The wild species from which it originates, called tree heather or white heather, is a shrubby plant of the large Ericaceae family. This species prefers living in heathlands, slopes, and forest edges. It does best in soils that are nutrient-poor and have high levels of sand.

'Alpina' tree heather shows slow growth. The bush has a taller-than-wide habit, supported by numerous upright and well-branched branches. Ultimately, this variety reaches between 1.50m (5ft) and 1.75m (6ft) in height and 1.20m (4ft) to 1.30m (4ft) in width. Its branches bear tiny, non-prickly needle-like leaves throughout the year, including winter, in a medium green colour. The flower buds form early in late autumn or winter on well-furnished foliage and open into pure white bell-shaped flowers between late February and May, depending on the climate. The bush is covered in flowers for 3 months. The small urn-shaped flowers bloom in small clusters along the branches. They are pleasantly fragrant and highly visited by bees.

This large and magnificent 'Alpina' heather is ideal for coastal garden landscaping. Romantic and natural, this shrub pairs perfectly with shorter heathers that bloom simultaneously in various colours: Erica x darleyensis 'Kramer's Rote', Western heather, Erica carnea 'December Red'. It also looks striking as a small hedge with gorse, Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum' and Callistemon 'Inferno'. This type of heather is capable of creating a beautiful decoration that has a poetic quality. To make this decoration, you will need 3 to 5 specimens of heather.