About Erica vagans L.
Cornish heath, Erica vagans L., is an evergreen subshrub that reaches a height between 1 and 3 feet, or 30 to 90 centimeters. Small linear leaves with pale undersides and down-rolled margins grow in whorls of four or five along wiry stems. Its inflorescence is a thick, leafy spike that holds a small number of long-stalked globular flowers. These flowers are pink or lilac, and have brown stamens that protrude from their open mouths. This species flowers from July to September. Like nearly all members of the heath plant family Ericaceae, E. vagans needs acidic or at minimum neutral soil to grow successfully. In regions that have alkaline (basic) soil, this requirement can be met by planting E. vagans in containers filled with ericaceous compost. Numerous cultivars of this species have been developed, displaying a range of flower colours including white, pink, mauve and purple.
