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Snow heath (Erica carnea)

Description

Erica carnea (winter heath, winter-flowering heather, spring heath, alpine heath; syn. E. herbacea, E. mediterranea) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae native to mountainous areas of central and southern Europe, where it grows in coniferous woodlands or stony slopes.It is a low-growing, spreading subshrub reaching 10–25 cm (4–10 in) tall, with evergreen needle-like leaves 4–8 millimetres (0.16–0.31 in) long, borne in whorls of four. The flowers are produced in racemes in late winter to early spring, often starting to flower while the plant is still covered in snow; the individual flower is a slender bell-shape, 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in) long, dark reddish-pink, rarely white.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Ericales

            • Family: Ericaceae

              • Genus: Erica