Azorean Heather

Erica Azorica

Tree or shrub that can reach 5m in height; narrow leaves up to 10mm in length; flowers in tight terminal groups usually interrupted. It grows from 10 to 2000m. Very resistant to dryness and strong winds it is one of the first species to recolonize several habitats after human activity. Much used for wood and fuel it is difficult to find mature stands with ancient individuals. Exceptionally, it is possible to find trunks with a diameter greater than 20 cm, in forests of Laurel and Cedar where the old trunks have endemic communities of epiphytic mosses.