About Erica baccans L.
Erica baccans, commonly known as the berry heath, is a species of the Erica genus. It was originally naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town, South Africa. This plant can grow up to 2 metres (6 and a half feet) tall, and produces large numbers of tiny pink flowers shaped like berries. The flowers grow in groups of four at the ends of branches, and bloom from September to November. The species epithet "baccans" derives from Latin, where it means berry-like, a reference to the flower shape of this species. E. baccans grows on medium or lower slopes ranging from Signal Hill to Simonstown. It occurs in Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, is endemic to Table Mountain, and grows in clusters on warm mountain slopes or in moist locations at lower altitudes. The species has become naturalised in parts of Australia, where it grows in and colonises disturbed sites. It is growing in popularity as an ornamental plant for gardens in Cape Town.
