gold-leafed tree heath

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: erica
species: arborea
cultivar: 'Albert's Gold'

late autumn 2012. leaves turned dark green.

As the name implies, this tree heath's leaves are usually more yellowish than green. But that's only if new growth is exposed to sufficiently bright light. Otherwise they turn mid to dark green just as they do when it gets darker into fall and winter. My plant is currently about knee height. It has lots of stems coming from the base, which makes it look like a group of cypress trees crowding together. Although I must say, the sight of its foliage at a distance reminds me of casuarinas on hot sunny beaches.

flowering in may 2013. close-up.

As the spring was breaking, I could see small tiny white tips emerging mainly on the branches of the upper section, which soon turned into foliage and terminal flower buds. Flowers become fully open in May. They are tiny, white, drooping and have a red dot in the middle. With the help of an enlarged macro photo, I counted four petals on each flower.

I repotted the plant earlier in April in a nice dark grey plastic pot. But I realised, the plant needs a new heavier pot so it doesn't get blown over easily by wind.