Field Guide
🌿
Bell Heather
Erica cinerea
Not yet photographed by the community
Deeper magenta-purple than heather; drier heathland.
Species Profile
Green List; not threatened, though dependent on management of heathland habitats.
- Lifespan
- 15–30 years in optimal conditions
- Size & Weight
- 30–75 cm tall; evergreen shrub
- Habitat
- Found on well-drained, acidic soils in heathland, moorland, and sandy or rocky grassland, often in open sunny locations.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread throughout southern and central Britain, Wales, and south-western Scotland; absent from far northern regions and generally prefers lowland to upland heath.
- Diet
- Not applicable; flowering plant that produces nectar for pollinators.
- Predators
- Not applicable; subject to herbivory by rabbits, sheep, and deer in some areas.
- Mating Season
- July to September (flowering period)
- Breeding
- Reproduces sexually via seed production following insect pollination; seeds dispersed by wind and contained in small capsules that mature in autumn.
- Behaviour
- Bell Heather is a key component of heathland ecosystems, providing nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators throughout summer and autumn. It is drought-tolerant and benefits from periodic burning or cutting to maintain habitat health and prevent woody encroachment.
- •The small, bell-shaped flowers are typically purple-pink to magenta and arranged in loose racemes, attracting specialist heather pollinators.
- •Bell Heather is a pioneering species that can colonise bare, disturbed ground on acidic soils where few other plants survive.
- •It is closely related to Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix) but prefers drier conditions and blooms slightly earlier in the season.
- •The plant contains compounds that were historically used in traditional remedies and as a natural dye source.
- •UK heathland habitat has declined by over 80% since the 19th century, making conservation of Bell Heather and its ecosystem increasingly important.
🌿
No photos yet
Be the first to photograph a Bell Heather and share it with the community.