Erica cinerea

Why it’s special
There can be no more glorious sight in summer than heathland heather in full flower. Sadly, changing practices in farming and flowering have resulted in a great decline in heathland – especially in the south of England – and the deep purple haze of Bell heather has become an uncommon sight. But the acidic soils, present on the flinty capping of some of the Isle of Wight’s hills, have provided a refuge for Bell heather and these can be seen swathed in a carpet of rich purple from June throughout the summer.

Where to find it
Large expanses of Bell heather and the paler mauve Calluna vulgaris, cover the summit of Headen Warren, a National Trust heathland, which gets its name from the old English words meaning ‘the hill or down where the heather grows’. The plant also grows on Ventnor Downs and Mottistone Common as well as in an unusual ‘chalk heath’ community on Tennyson Down.

What else is there at Headen Warren?
From the top of the heather-clad flat-topped hill, about 120 metres above sea level, there are stunning views of the Solent, Alum Bay and the Needles. A number of uncommon plants grow alongside the Bell heather on the heath itself – Dwarf Gorse, a diminutive relative of the more Common Gorse, and the parasitic plant Dodder, now much in decline, whose wiry mass of pink threads with tiny pink flowers wind themselves through gorse and heathers.

Best time to see
Summer

Find out more
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
OS Grid Reference: SZ 315 859
Access on public footpaths
 

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