Erica cerinthoides Red (Fire Heath)

Erica cerinthoides ‘Red’, commonly known as Red Fire Heath, is an attractive evergreen shrub with fine, slightly hairy foliage and masses of brilliant red tubular flowers. The flowers appear mainly through winter and spring, bringing a wonderful splash of colour to the garden during the cooler months.

Growing to around 1 metre tall and 1 metre wide, ‘Red’ forms a compact, rounded shrub that works beautifully in garden beds, borders, rockeries or pots and containers. Its fine foliage and bright flowers give it a lovely soft texture and make it particularly effective planted where its winter flowering can be enjoyed up close.

It prefers a sunny position with very well-drained, preferably acidic soil and is drought tolerant once established. Avoid heavy soils and waterlogged conditions, particularly during winter. It has some frost tolerance, but protection from heavy frosts is recommended, especially while young. In Ballarat’s cold climate, choose a sheltered position or a container that can be moved to protection during heavy frosts.

At Navigators Nursery, we carefully select plants with our local conditions in mind, and Erica ‘Red’ is a lovely choice for adding vibrant winter colour and fine evergreen texture to a sheltered Ballarat garden.