Erica, a sun plant. We teach you to take care of it
A beautiful and easy-to-care plant. It is perfect to have in the garden, either planted on both sides of an entrance, or delimiting paths. Able to live for many years even when grown in a pot.
The EricaSometimes called heather, it is a plant that looks beautiful for much of the year, with fall being the time when it fills with flowers. Thus, it is worth taking it into account to give color to the patio or the green corner of the home.
Belonging to the Ericaceae family, it is an incredible plant. Erica is a botanical genus comprising 863 accepted species. Most of them are native to the Cape (South Africa), but there are some that are found in Europe, including the Canary archipelago. It is very adaptable, and resistant to something surprising: the fire.
This decorative shrub grow to a height of approximately one meter. It has tiny leaves, about 10mm long, evergreen, dark green. Its flowers can be pink, cream or white, and they grow arranged upside down or upside down. They appear, as we said, during the autumn periodso it is undoubtedly the main plant after the end of the summer.
The growth rate is reasonably fast, as long as it grows on soil that has a low (acidic) pH, otherwise you could have problems due to a lack of iron and the plant would turn yellow. If this happens to you, don’t worry. It can be easily solved if you fertilize it using a specific fertilizer for acidophilic plants, or with Iron sulphate.
By the way, you should know that the Erica are easily confused with the Calluna. The main difference is that the leaves of our protagonist have the largest leaves. Those of the Calluna do not exceed 3mm in length.
Caring for the Erica
Heather is a plant very easy to care it requires little maintenance. So much so that it looks great in any corner: whether sunny or semi-shady. Thus, if you want to have a flowered carpet in the garden, you can choose to plant several together; And if you prefer to have it in a pot, it will look great on your patio or terrace.
Erica grows well in both full sun and partial shadeso you only have to ask yourself one thing: Where do i put it? And the truth is that it is not easy, since it looks good in any corner. But if you will allow me a suggestion, how about the idea of putting a few around a tree trunk? Not much is done with flower bushes and it’s a shame, because eThe result could be incredible.
Substratum
If you have a clay soil there is no other choice than to have it in a pot. This is not a problem since, thanks to its small size, will have perfect growth and development. But so that it does not lack anything we have to plant it in a substrate with a low pH, between 4 and 6.
Being an acidophilus plant it is essential that the land is acid like this. Otherwise, we would have to provide iron at least once a month. But not only the pH is important, but also the drainage, so it is advisable that you mix the substrate with 10% perlite or any other porous material. In this way, waterlogging will be avoided and, consequently, its roots will remain properly aerated.
Irrigation
Heather quite likes the humidity in the ground, but without exceeding. Water it with rainwater or non-calcareous water about 2 or 3 times a week in summer, and every seven days the rest of the year. But if it is very hot and / or it does not rain, and you also see that the substrate begins to be very dry, then it will be time to water.
One way to know when the plant needs water is by checking the humidity of the substrate. How do you do that? Very easy. You just have to insert a finger or a thin wooden stick to the bottom of the pot. Once you extract it, see how much dirt has stuck to the finger or stick: if it is a lot, it will not be necessary to water; On the other hand, if it comes out practically clean, it will be time to take the shower.
Pests
The Erica is very resistant to pests and diseases, although it is necessary to watch the mealybugs and Mitesespecially in dry environments and / or during the summer. Both can be prevented if from time to time we spray the plant so that the humidity is high, although sometimes they still appear and with preventive treatments, so here is a remedy to eliminate them:
Things you will need: 96º alcohol and a brush.
Mode of application: moisten the brush of the brush with alcohol, and then apply it to the plant, as if you were ‘painting’ it.
Another option is to fight these parasites with a chemical insecticide that contains chlorpyrifos or pyrethrins. It is important that you wear gloves and follow the instructions specified on the packagingfor the safety of the plant itself and yours.
Rusticity
It stands out for being very resistant to cold and intense frosts. In fact, it is suitable for areas where winter is very harsh, with minimum temperatures of up to -25ºC. So now you know, if you want to be able to enjoy some beautiful colored rugs, this is your plant.
Uses of Erica
Erica is very decorative, a quality that makes it increasingly visible in gardens. In gardening it is used to delimit paths and also
to create shrub bedsor as potted plant. But in addition, it has other equally interesting uses, which are:
Wood is used to make pipes, cutlery and other objects.
In its natural habitat, it serves as cattle feed.
In rural areas it is used as fuelsince the strains – from which the leaves sprout – have a high calorific value.
