The tree heath (Erica arborea) is a shrub or a small evergreen tree with characteristic, minute, linear and rolled leaves just half centimeter length. Like most of heaths, the tree heath prefers siliceous soils. Therefore, in the district of Bages, the tree heath grows just in the high areas of conglomerate rocks in Montserrat and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac where it’s quite common on drained, lime free soils of evergreen oak forests and communities of shrubs.
Although their white, bell like flowers are small as well, the blossom of the tree heath in spring is really noticeable in the forest by its generosity and by its sweet, honey-like fragrance.
[photos Jordi Badia]