Coral heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coral heath |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Epacris microphylla growing in the Royal National Park. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Epacris
|
| Species: |
microphylla
|
Epacris microphylla, commonly known as coral heath, is a special plant found only in eastern Australia. It belongs to the heath family called Ericaceae. This plant is a common, wiry shrub with tiny leaves. Its flowers often hide the leaves, especially near the ends of its branches. Sometimes, many of these plants grow close together, making it look like snow has fallen!
Contents
What Does Coral Heath Look Like?
Coral heath is a straight, wiry shrub. Its stems look like rods, and its branches have angles. It usually grows up to about 1 meter (3 feet) tall. The leaves are small, about 2 to 3.5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.14 inches) long and wide. They are shaped like an egg or are almost round, and they have a sharp point, but they are not prickly.
The flowers grow one by one where the upper leaves meet the stem. There can be as many as 90 flowers on one branch, often covering up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) of the branch ends. The petals form a tube with spreading parts that are about 1.5 to 2.0 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) long. They are white, and you can see five red parts called anthers in the middle. You can find flowers on the plant for most of the year, but they bloom the most from July to November.
How Did Coral Heath Get Its Name?
The plant Epacris microphylla was first officially described in 1810 by a botanist named Robert Brown. He published his description in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.
The second part of its scientific name, microphylla, comes from two Ancient Greek words:
- mikros, which means "small" or "little".
- phyllon, which means "leaf".
So, microphylla basically means "small-leaved".
There are two main types, or varieties, of Epacris microphylla:
- Epacris microphylla var. microphylla: This type is an open, sprawling shrub with only a few main stems. It flowers mostly from July to October.
- Epacris microphylla var. rhombifolia: This type is also called mountain coral heath. It is a straight shrub with several stems. It flowers from November to early March. In some places like New South Wales and Victoria, it is considered a separate species called Epacris rhombifolia.
Where Does Coral Heath Grow?
Coral heath grows in heathland areas, which are open spaces with low-growing plants. It likes moist, rocky places and also grows in forests. You can find it in coastal areas of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria in Australia. It often grows in sandy soils that are not very rich in nutrients.
It is also known to grow in only one spot in New Zealand, on the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour, near Auckland.
Growing Coral Heath in Your Garden
Epacris microphylla is a pretty and tough plant for gardens. It grows well as long as the soil drains water easily. It's hard to grow this plant from seeds. However, you can grow new plants from small pieces of the stem, called cuttings.
