Diversity on another continent South African Erica

 

Calluna vulgaris, Erica vagans, Erica tetralix, Erica ciliaris, Erica cinerea, Erica herbacea are winter hardy and part of our native vegetation.

More than 500 different species of Erica, however, are native South Africans and some species are far more attractive than our European endemic Erica.

 

150 years ago there was quite a boom in Europe, a passion for collecting South African Erica species. There were collections comprising 300 - 400 cultivated wild species of Erica, of which on the whole only Erica gracilis was left over which over the years has become tremendoulsy important from the economical point of view.

In the course of his active professional life Mr Werner Eckle experienced a growing personal passion for the South African species of Erica.

From 1960 - 1968 Mr Eckle's father compiled an assortment of almost 100 species of Erica thanks to his great idealistic dedication. He then left his collection to the botanical garden (Palmengarten) at Frankfurt/Main where there are only a few species left.

During several trips to