Pink heath
Encyclopedia
Epacris impressa, also known as Common Heath, is a shrub that is native to the south-east of Australia
. The pink-flowered form, often referred to as Pink Heath, is the floral emblem
of the state of Victoria
.
Different colour forms are often observed growing near to each other. Seed capsules are 3.3–3.5 mm long.
in South Australia
across southern Victoria and northwards to southern New South Wales
as far as the Clyde River. It is also found in the Grampians
and the Little Desert in Victoria and is widespread in Tasmania
.
An Australian stamp issue of state floral emblems was issued in 1968, including the Pink Heath which was featured on the 13c stamp. The Pink Heath was also depicted on the VicRoads
registration label for a number of years up to 2006. In 1973, a depiction of Pink Heath was added to the armorial ensign for Victoria.
s, such as the Eastern Spinebill
, are attracted to the flowers in their native habitat. As the bird gathers the nectar, the pollen, which has fins, attaches itself to the feather on the heads of the birds and is thus carried to other flowers, aiding cross pollination.
in Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) during a voyage with Bruni D'Entrecasteaux
It was described by Labillardiere in 1805 who gave the species its current name Epacris impressa. The Latin specific epithet impressa (meaning "impressed" or "indented") alludes to the indentations on the floral tube.
The original mounted specimen is currently held at the National Herbarium of Victoria
at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
.
, whereas red or white flowering populations have more evident sharing of genetic traits.
The following forms been selected and grown for cultivation:
Epacris impressa var. grandiflora (Grampians Heath)
This is a variety from rocky locations in the northern Grampians
and the Black Range which was described by George Bentham
in 1868. It has larger rose-red flowers and broader, down-covered leaves.
Taxonomically, the name is currently regarded as a synonym of Epacris impressa rather than being classified as a distinct variety, however a number of named forms are commonly cultivated:
Epacris impressa 'Bega'
This is a form from Bega
in New South Wales that has bright red flowers. It is regarded as one of the more reliable forms in cultivation.
Epacris impressa 'Cranbourne Bells'
This is a form from Cranbourne
in Victoria that occurred naturally near the Botanic Gardens
. It is double-flowered with pink flowers buds fading to white as they open.
cultivation.
Plants grow best in a moist but well drained, acidic soil. They may be grown in coastal gardens in a sheltered position. They can be short-lived and are difficult to transplant. Propagation both by seed and cuttings is difficult, reducing potential production by plant nuseries. The most satisfactory results from cuttings can be achieved by using tip growth taken six weeks after the cessation of flowering and kept under a fogging system for twenty weeks.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The pink-flowered form, often referred to as Pink Heath, is the floral emblem
Floral emblem
In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used to adopt these symbols - some are conferred by...
of the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Description
The plants have an erect habit and can grow to 2 to 3 metres high, although plants in the range of 0.5 to 1 metre tall are more commonly observed. The branches are stiff and have small leaves with prickly, pointed apices that are 8 to 16 mm long. The flowers, which mainly occur between late autumn and early spring are white, pink or red in colour and appear in dense clusters along the stems. They are 1–2 cm long and are narrow and tubular with five indentations on the base.Different colour forms are often observed growing near to each other. Seed capsules are 3.3–3.5 mm long.
Distribution
Epacris impressa is commonly found in coastal regions and nearby foothills in a region extending from the Mount Lofty RangesMount Lofty Ranges
The Mount Lofty Ranges are the range of mountains just to the east of Adelaide in South Australia.-Location and description:The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch from the southernmost point of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis northwards for over before petering out north of Peterborough...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
across southern Victoria and northwards to southern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
as far as the Clyde River. It is also found in the Grampians
Grampians National Park
The Grampians National Park is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 235 kilometres west of Melbourne. The Park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern...
and the Little Desert in Victoria and is widespread in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Symbolism
At a meeting of representatives of government and other bodies in 1951, the pink form of the Common Heath, the "Pink Heath", was adopted as the official floral emblem for the state of Victoria in 1958. Victoria was the first Australian state to adopt a floral emblem. The proclamation, was as follows:An Australian stamp issue of state floral emblems was issued in 1968, including the Pink Heath which was featured on the 13c stamp. The Pink Heath was also depicted on the VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
registration label for a number of years up to 2006. In 1973, a depiction of Pink Heath was added to the armorial ensign for Victoria.
Interaction with honeyeaters
HoneyeaterHoneyeater
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea...
s, such as the Eastern Spinebill
Eastern Spinebill
The Eastern Spinebill, Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris, is a species of honeyeater found in south-eastern Australia in forest and woodland areas, as well as gardens in urban areas of Sydney and Melbourne...
, are attracted to the flowers in their native habitat. As the bird gathers the nectar, the pollen, which has fins, attaches itself to the feather on the heads of the birds and is thus carried to other flowers, aiding cross pollination.
Taxonomy
The type specimen of Common Heath was collected in 1793 by French botanist Jacques LabillardièreJacques Labillardière
Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière was a French naturalist noted for his descriptions of the flora of Australia. Labillardière was a member of a voyage in search of the La Pérouse expedition...
in Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) during a voyage with Bruni D'Entrecasteaux
Bruni d'Entrecasteaux
Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d'Entrecasteaux was a French navigator who explored the Australian coast in 1792 while seeking traces of the lost expedition of La Pérouse....
It was described by Labillardiere in 1805 who gave the species its current name Epacris impressa. The Latin specific epithet impressa (meaning "impressed" or "indented") alludes to the indentations on the floral tube.
The original mounted specimen is currently held at the National Herbarium of Victoria
National Herbarium of Victoria
The National Herbarium of Victoria is one of Australia’s premier state herbaria. It was established in 1853 and is sited within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. The present building was constructed in 1934 through a donation from philanthropist Sir Macpherson Robertson. It, along with a...
at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne are internationally renowned botanical gardens located near the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River. They are 38 hectares of landscaped gardens consisting of a mix of native and non-native vegetation including over...
.
Forms and cultivars
Common Heath has a large variety of forms and colours. Pink-flowering populations have a relatively distinct genetic makeupGenome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
, whereas red or white flowering populations have more evident sharing of genetic traits.
The following forms been selected and grown for cultivation:
Epacris impressa var. grandiflora (Grampians Heath)
This is a variety from rocky locations in the northern Grampians
Grampians National Park
The Grampians National Park is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 235 kilometres west of Melbourne. The Park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern...
and the Black Range which was described by George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in 1868. It has larger rose-red flowers and broader, down-covered leaves.
Taxonomically, the name is currently regarded as a synonym of Epacris impressa rather than being classified as a distinct variety, however a number of named forms are commonly cultivated:
- Epacris impressa 'Grandiflora' – leaves and flowers larger than most other forms, single flowers.
- Epacris impressa 'Double Pink' – double flowers
- Epacris impressa 'Grampians' – pale pink flowers
Epacris impressa 'Bega'
This is a form from Bega
Bega, New South Wales
Bega is a town in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. It is the economic centre for the Bega Valley.-Place name:One claim is that place name Bega is derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "big camping ground"....
in New South Wales that has bright red flowers. It is regarded as one of the more reliable forms in cultivation.
Epacris impressa 'Cranbourne Bells'
This is a form from Cranbourne
Cranbourne, Victoria
Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750....
in Victoria that occurred naturally near the Botanic Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, is a division of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. It is located in the Melbourne suburb of Cranbourne, about 45 km south-east of the Melbourne city centre....
. It is double-flowered with pink flowers buds fading to white as they open.
Cultivation
Common Heath was first recorded in cultivation in England in 1825 but due to its frost-tenderness, it was mostly restricted to greenhouseGreenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
cultivation.
Plants grow best in a moist but well drained, acidic soil. They may be grown in coastal gardens in a sheltered position. They can be short-lived and are difficult to transplant. Propagation both by seed and cuttings is difficult, reducing potential production by plant nuseries. The most satisfactory results from cuttings can be achieved by using tip growth taken six weeks after the cessation of flowering and kept under a fogging system for twenty weeks.