20 October 2024

Growing Wild: Ling Heather and Cross-leaved Heath

Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, takes a closer look at some of our native Irish biodiversity, this time focusing on Ling Heather and Cross-leaved Heath

Ling Heather

Look out for ling heather in our peatlands – both raised bogs in the midlands and uplands throughout the country. It is a small shrub up to one metre tall and grows in drier areas, particularly dry heaths. Leafy shoots in opposite pairs on downy brown stems with overlapping leaves so close together they cover the stalk. Pale-purple flowers on flowering spikes provide nectar for heather honey. Our three native heathers are positive indicators in ACRES meaning higher scores and payments, showing how valuable our uplands are.

Cross-leaved Heath

Cross-leaved heath is one of our three native heathers. It has pale-pink bell-shaped flowers in short bunches at the top of its stems. Its tiny needle-like leaves in whorls of four, making crosses on the stems, give the plant its name. It is a slender, straggling shrub up to 60 cms high with thin wiry branches. Cross-leaved heath grows in bogs and wet heaths and is a positive indicator in ACRES meaning higher scores and payments, showing how valuable our uplands are. Cross-leaved heath or Erica tetralix nó fraoch naoscaí is part of our native Irish biodiversity.

Read more from the Growing Wild series