Erica Perspicua.perspicua

Fields of Erica perspicua.perspicua flowers bloom in late summer along the dirt road towards Pringle Bay. When leaving Rooiels, just before the first smallholding, look on your right towards the sea. They grow where the terrain is quite marshy.

You may also see them on the R44. To spot them, drive from Rooiels towards Pringle Bay, go up the steep hill and once you reach the plateau, you might see masses of white plumes waving in the wind. This is especially true about four to six years after a veld fire, when the fynbos has rejuvenated.

We have also found them next to streams on the lower mountain slopes.

The genus name Erica comes from the Greek word ereike, meaning to break. The twigs are quite brittle and break easily.

Perspicua means transparent in Latin. (Think of Perspex). Erica perspicua is transparent, as you can see in the photos.

This erect shrub grows to about 1 m or higher and flowers from February to June. The flowers vary in colour from white through pink and white, purple and white, to uniform purple-red. It can be found from Rooiels to Hermanus.

Erica Perspicua acquired its English common name "Prince of Wales" from its resemblance to the plumes on the crest of the Prince of Wales's coat of arms. (That is with some imagination.) The Afrikaans common name “vereheide” means feather erica. It is also called “bruidsheide” – bridal erica and once you have seen a shrub covered in white tubular flowers, you will know why.