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Mountain Heather

Phyllodoce empetriformi

Photo: Nancy Turner

Mountain Heather

APPEARANCE

This plant is a low lying shrub (20 to 40 centimetres) with grooved slender evergreen leaves. The pink flowers are bunched and bell-shaped extending from the end of upper branches.

RANGE & HABITAT

Heather is a native plant found throughout B.C., south to California and north to Alaska. These cheerful plants are common in high to mid elevation in alpine ranges. It is also seen in open coniferous forests.

LIFE CYCLE

This beautiful alpine shrub is in full bloom by July through August and does not produce berries after the flowers have wilted. This plant is an evergreen which means that it does not loose its leaves in the winter.

OTHER USES

In their alpine habitat these plants are essential to stopping erosion on steep slopes.

STATUS

COSEWIC: Not at Risk
CDC: Yellow

MORE INFORMATION

www.linnet.geog.ubc.ca