Irish heath
A West European heath flowering from late winter into spring; in gardens and parks it gives bees nectar and pollen on early flights.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 1-2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Irish heath grows wild in Spain, Portugal, south-west France and western Ireland; in Turkey it is seen only as an ornamental. Its fragrant, small pink-lilac bell flowers provide bees with early nectar and pollen on mild days. It tolerates calcareous soils better than many heaths.
Flowering
It flowers for a long time from February to May, with a peak in March and April. Its hybrid with winter heath (Erica carnea), Erica × darleyensis, is common in gardens as one of the longest-flowering winter bee plants.
Honey and pollen
No honey is produced under its own name; its contribution to brood rearing in early spring is important.
Note for the beekeeper
In gardens near European apiaries it can be planted as an early forage strip. In Turkey the heaths that really matter for beekeeping are tree heath (Erica arborea) and Erica manipuliflora.