Erica arborea GREAT STAR Le Vasterival - Tree Heath

Erica Great Star ('Le Vasterival') is a superb arborescent heather discovered in 2007 in her Vasterival garden in Normandy, by Princess Gardener Greta Sturdza. This splendid variety offers a very long flowering period, cloudy, pastel and fragrant. The bush starts to show off in December with dark pink buds that open from March to May, in small bells ranging from pale pink to white. It will find its place in a partially shaded heathland bed, in a romantic, wild or English-style garden. Its cultivation in the ground will be reserved for our mild and rainy coastal regions. 

Arborescent heathers, of the genus Erica, belong to the family Ericaceae. While the hybrid origin of Great Star is unquestionable, its parentage is debated. Originally considered to be the result of a spontaneous cross-breeding between Erica arborea (White Heather) and E. x veitchii, itself a hybrid of Erica arborea and E. lusitanica (Portuguese Heather). Some sources suggest that it is the result of a hybridization between E. arborea 'Alpina' and E. mediterranea, the Western Heather with lilac-pink winter flowering.

Great Star has a wider than tall habit, supported by numerous upright branches. The bush, with a moderately fast growth, will reach about 1.50m (4ft 11in) in height and 2m (6ft 7in) in spread at maturity. Its branches carry small needle-like leaves, which are not prickly, throughout the year, including winter, in a beautiful fresh green colour. The floral buds, a deep pink, form early in late autumn or winter on a well-furnished foliage. The flowering, which lasts until May, gives this large heather an extremely ornamental appearance for almost 6 months. The small urn-shaped flowers open all along the branches.

With its enchanting charm, this arborescent heather 'Le Vasterival' is an ideal shrub for naturalistic or romantic gardens. It can be associated, in a light and non-calcareous soil, with shorter heathers that bloom at the same time in various colours: Erica carnea or darleyensis offer blooms ranging from pure white to purple-violet, including all shades of pink and red in winter and spring. It will work wonders in a heathland bed, alongside Kalmia, Camellia, Rhododendrons or Pieris that appreciate the same environments and will allow for staggered flowering. This heather can form, in groups of 3 to 5 subjects, a decor full of great poetry.