Winter heath is a vigorous evergreen shrub of trailing habit with masses of urn-shaped, pure pink flowers borne in one-sided racemes from mid-winter to early spring. They beautifully smother the needle-like, mid-green foliage, which emerges bronze. It is great at providing winter color; this low-growing, evergreen shrub creates an excellent ground cover for sunny locations while requiring little care. 

It is one of the hardiest of Heathers; Erica carnea is native to the Alps of Central Europe. It is loved for its early bloom and evergreen presence and forms bristling mats of pink, white, purple, or red blooms.