Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Erica arborea L.

Tall shrub or small tree, leaves in whorls of 3, fragrant, bell-shaped, grayish-white flowers are borne in profuse panicles towards the end of lateral branches in spring.  To 6m.  [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’]. 

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1658.  [JD]. 

History at Camden Park

Erica arborea is marked with a ‘c’ in an 1836 edition of Loddiges’ catalogue held at Camden Park [CPA].  In William Macarthur’s code, used and explained elsewhere, this means grown at Camden.  It is almost certain that it was grown in the gardens around this time but may have been short lived as it did not appear in the catalogues. 

Notes

Erica arborea Brot. = Erica lusitanica Rudolphi

Erica arborea Thunb. = Erica strigosa Soland. 

Published Jan 10, 2009 - 04:27 PM | Last updated Mar 30, 2010 - 04:58 PM

Family Ericaceae
Category
Region of origin

Southern Europe to north Africa

Synonyms
Common Name

Tree Heath

Name in the Camden Park Record

Erica arborea 

Confidence level high