Erica arborea Pink Joy - Tree Heath

The 'Pink Joy' Erica arborea is a particularly vigorous and floriferous arborescent heather variety! Its flowering occurs as early as February in numerous clusters of fragrant, honey-scented bells, initially pink before blooming into an increasingly pure and vibrant white. Its persistent, fine and dense foliage is golden green in its youth before turning bright green. It is a tall, erect and compact shrub with a wild appearance, suitable for free hedges or a shaded bed alongside some conifers where it can grow freely. Moderately hardy and robust, it only fears heavy, waterlogged, calcareous and overly rich soils, making it an interesting species for mild, even dry climates and seaside gardens.

The arborescent heathers, of the Erica genus, belong to the Ericaceae family. While the hybrid origin of 'Pink Joy' is undisputed, its parentage is debated. Originally considered the result of a spontaneous cross between Erica arborea (the White Heather) and E. (x) veitchii, itself a hybrid of Erica arborea and E. lusitanica (the Portuguese Heather). Some sources mention the result of a hybridization between E. arborea 'Alpina' and E. mediterranea, the Western Heather with winter flowering in pink and lilac.

'Pink Joy' has a taller than wide habit, supported by numerous upright branches. The slow-growing shrub will reach approximately 2.5m (8ft 2in) in height and 1.5m (4ft 11in) in spread at maturity. Its branches bear tiny, non-prickly needle-like leaves throughout the year, including winter, with a beautiful golden green colour in spring before turning light and vibrant green, remaining constantly bright. The pink flower buds form early in late autumn or winter on a well-furnished foliage and open into pure white bell-shaped flowers from February to May, giving this large heather an extremely ornamental appearance for almost 4 months. The small urn-shaped flowers bloom along the branches.

With its enchanting charm, this 'Pink Joy' arborescent heather is an ideal shrub for naturalistic or romantic garden designs. It can be associated, in a light and non-calcareous soil, with lower heathers that flower at the same time in various colours: Erica carnea or darleyensis offer blooms ranging from pure white to purple-violet, as well as all shades of pink and red in winter and spring. It will work wonders in a heathland bed, alongside Kalmia, Camellia, Rhododendrons or Pieris, which appreciate the same environments and allow for staggered flowering. This heather can create, in a group of 3 to 5 specimens, a decor imbued with great poetry.