| Erica versicolor | |
|---|---|
| |
| San Francisco Botanical Garden | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Erica |
| Species: | E. versicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Erica versicolor Andrews | |
Erica versicolor is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to South Africa's Cape Province.
In cultivation E. versicolor requires well-drained acidic soil and a sheltered situation in full sun. It cannot tolerate freezing temperatures. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Description
Erica versicolor is an evergreen shrub growing to 3 m (9.8 ft) tall by 1 m (3.3 ft) broad, bearing tiny needle-like leaves and long tubular flowers up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in length. The flowers have a two-tone appearance, predominantly red with green or yellow tips (hence the Latin specific epithet versicolor), and bloom from October until April. The leaves are trifoliate, smooth, and a deep green. The branches of the plant are nearly simple.
Gallery
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Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town
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San Francisco Botanical Garden
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Close-up of flowers
References
- "Erica versicolor". The Plant List. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Erica versicolor". Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- Andrews, Henry Cranke (1804). The Heathery: Or, A Monograph of the Genus Erica with Latin and English Descriptions, Dissections, Etc. of All the Known Species of that Extensive and Distinguished Tribe of Plants. Richard Taylor.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Erica versicolor | |