Erica australis

Erica australis, the Spanish heath or Southern tree heath,^[2] is a European species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.

Erica australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Erica
Species:	E. australis
Binomial name
Erica australis L.[1]

It is a bushy evergreen shrub growing to 2 metres (6+1⁄2 feet) tall and broad, with tiny needle-like leaves and pink to purple bell-shaped flowers in late spring. As a calcifuge, it requires sharply drained acidic soil in full sun. It is hardy down to −10 °C (14 °F).

The Latin specific epithet australis means 'southern', referring to its native habitat of southern Europe,^[3] including the western Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Western Spain) as well as Northwest Africa (in Morocco).

This plant is cultivated as an ornamental and has produced numerous forms and cultivars,^[2] gaining the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for E. australis 'Mr Robert'.^[4][5]