Fire Heath

Fire Heath (Erica cerinthoides 'Rubra') is a compact heath to about 1m tall and 80cm wide, carrying clusters of long tubular red flowers at the tips of wiry upright stems. It flowers over months rather than weeks, and honeyeaters find it quickly. The one thing it insists on is sharp drainage.

Why you'll love it

• Red that lasts a season. The tubular blooms sit clear of the fine foliage and hold their colour in full sun.
• Sized for tight spaces. At 1m by 80cm it fits a rockery pocket, a border edge or a pot without shearing.
• Tough where it counts. Drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, so a gravelly exposed bank suits it better than an improved garden bed.
• Built for nectar feeders. The long narrow flowers are shaped for honeyeaters, which work a plant in flower daily.

Where it works best

Rockeries and gravel gardens. This is its natural home. Plant it into a raised gravelly pocket where water runs away fast, and it outlasts most things around it.

Pots and containers. A 300mm pot of free draining mix is plenty. Terracotta suits it, because the porous wall stops the root zone staying wet.

Borders and edging. Given a mature width of 80cm, plant 60cm apart for a continuous low edge that still lets air move between the plants.

Growing Fire Heath in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open air. Warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens suit it, and it takes light frost only. Be honest about humidity: this is a South African fynbos plant that dislikes long humid summers, so warm humid coastal gardens are difficult ground.

Soil. Sandy or gravelly and on the lean side; rich composted beds do it no favours. On clay, build a raised mound with coarse sand and grit through it, and use a gravel mulch rather than a thick organic one.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first summer, then only through long dry spells. Feed lightly, if at all: a little slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it wants, and heavy feeding is a common way to lose one.

Pruning. Trim lightly after each flush, taking only the flowered tips. Do not cut into bare old wood, because heaths reshoot poorly from it and a hard prune often kills the plant.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes, tube stock and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are young plants with fine roots and the sensible choice for a rockery built over time. The 140mm plants are bushier and flower sooner.

The fine foliage can look dry after transit, so water it in and shelter it for a week before planting out. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full rockery plant range
• Plants that thrive in poor soil
• Compare other plants suited to pots
• Choosing edging plants for a border

Common questions

Will it grow in a humid subtropical garden?

It is not the right plant for one. Long humid summers are its main weakness, so warm coastal and subtropical gardeners should treat it as short lived, or grow it in a pot under eaves.

Why do heaths die suddenly in pots?

Almost always wet feet or overfeeding. Use a coarse free draining mix, never let the pot sit in a saucer of water, and keep fertiliser light.

Can I cut it back hard to renovate it?

No. Cutting into bare old wood usually kills it. Trim the flowered tips lightly after each flush from the first year so the plant never reaches the point of needing a hard renovation.

How far apart for a low border?

About 60cm apart, based on a mature width of 80cm. That gives a continuous edge while leaving air movement between plants, which matters for a species this humidity sensitive.