Erica vagans

Evergreen shrub of the Ericaceae family, the wandering heather has a remarkably restricted natural range in Europe: it is mainly confined to the moors of the Franco-Spanish Basque Country, Cornwall in Great Britain, and a few isolated stations in Ireland and Italy. It occupies open moors, acidic to neutral-basic grasslands, sometimes on serpentine or relatively slightly acidic soils, which distinguishes it from most of its strictly calcifuge congeners.

It forms a spreading to semi-upright sub-shrub, from 30 to 80 cm, with slender and very leafy branches. The linear leaves, whorled in groups of four or five, are a bright and shiny green. The flowers, small and in a short urn shape, are a very pale pink to lilac pink, with dark reddish-brown stamens clearly protruding from the corolla, giving them a particularly detailed and delicate appearance when observed closely. They are arranged in elongated lateral clusters on the branches of the year.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from July to October. In cultivation, it occurs at roughly the same dates, thus extending the interest of moors and rock gardens to a period when few other heathers are still in bloom.

More tolerant than its congeners regarding soil pH, it accepts slightly less acidic, well-drained soils, in full sun. Hardy down to about -15°C, it is lightly pruned after flowering to maintain density.