Mediterranean heath
Erica multiflora
Family · Ericaceae · Harmless
The heath that flowers against the grain, in autumn and winter, and is therefore the last big nectar source of the year in Mediterranean limestone scrub.
Where it grows
Scrubland · Uplands · Dunes and sand
Also known asmany-flowered heath
In flower
How to tell it
Pale pink flowers in dense clusters at branch tips, with the stamens protruding from the bell, which no other native heath does so obviously. Needle leaves in whorls of four or five.
What it is confused with
No dangerous lookalikes known in the Iberian Peninsula.
What it is for
Autumn honey, and high ecological value for flowering out of season. Little direct use beyond kindling.