Daboecia

Daboecia /dæˈbiːʃiə/,[1] or St. Dabeoc's heath, is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, containing two evergreen shrubs, closely related to the genus Erica. They are native to cliffs and heathland in southern Atlantic Europe and the Azores.[2]

Daboecia
Daboecia cantabrica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Subfamily: Ericoideae
Tribe: Ericeae
Genus: Daboecia
D.Don

Description

They produce urn-shaped flowers in shades of white, pink and red. Daboecia differ from European Erica species in having a substantially larger corolla. The leaves are always alternate in Daboecia, never whorled. The generic name comes from the Irish Saint Dabheog.

Distribution

Daboecia has an oceanic distribution in western Europe, including western Ireland, western France, northwestern Spain, northwestern mainland Portugal and the Central Group of the Azores.[3] Like Erica and Calluna species, Daboecia are calcifuges, but will tolerate neutral soils and avoid peat.

Species

Some botanists regard D. azorica as a subspecies of D. cantabrica, which would render the genus monospecific.

Cultivation

The two species have been extensively cultivated and hybridised to produce a number of popular garden plants. Cultivars include selections from the hybrid between the two species, which is named Daboecia × scotica.

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017):[5]

  • D. cantabrica ‘Waley’s Red’[6]
  • D. cantabrica subsp. scotica ‘Silverwells’[7]
  • D. cantabrica subsp. scotica ‘William Hicks’[8]

References
  1. Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  2. "Daboecia cantabrica (Huds.) C. Koch". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  3. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  4. "Irish heath". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 16. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  6. "RHS Plantfinder - D. cantabrica 'Waley's Red'". Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  7. "RHS Plantfinder - D. cantabrica subsp. scotica 'Silverwells'". Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  8. "RHS Plantfinder - D. cantabrica subsp. scotica 'William Hicks'". Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  • Oliver, E. G. H. (2000). Systematics of Ericeae. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 19.
  • Nelson, E. C. (1984). Dabeoc – a saint and his heather. Yearbook of the Heather Society 1984: 41–46.
  • Nelson, E. C. (2000). A history, mainly nomenclatural, of St Dabeoc's heath. Watsonia 23: 47–58.


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