Erica multiflora L.

Spice In the field

Family: ERICACEAE

Genus: Erica

Catalan common name: Bruc d´hivern. Cepell. Ciprelló. Peterrell. Xipell. Xiprell.

Spanish common name: Brezo. Bruguera. Ucre.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Furniture, construction and tools.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte.

Habitats: Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Garriques and pine woodlands.

Characteristics: Heather is an extremely frequent component of our pine woods. Its pinkish flowers, which are all clumped at the end of the branches and open in autumn, are a sure identification. Like all heathers it has small leaves grouped in threes, and they are lighter in colour than in Erica arborea. Heather lives in carbonated substrates (a sort of exception in European Ericaceae).