A Pink Winter Wonderland in Fynbos During May: Erica Irregularis

Our favourite time of year in the fynbos is during May when the hills between Stanford and Gansbaai turn pink as a result of the Erica irregularis blooming.

What makes the Erica irregularis so conspicuous, so breathtakingly noticeable?

It is the massive number of flowers borne per plant and of course, the colour. It is a real show-off, very floriferous and very eye-catching. Erica irregularis is a hardy shrub which can grow up to 1.5m tall. Its branches are covered in fine linear leaves arranged in groups of 3 or 4. During its flowering period, the semi-rigid stalks bloom conspicuously with delicate rosy flowers. The flowers are small (4–5 mm), urn-shaped with a narrow end, arranged in irregular clusters - hence the origin of its scientific name 'irregularis'. The name Erica is derived from the Greek ereiko, meaning ‘to break’ or ‘rend’, which refers to the apparent ability of some species to break up bladder stones, and possibly to the fact that Erica stems tend to break easily. Read more about the Erica irregularis here.

The weather in May consists of beautiful warm sunny days with no wind which is perfect for hiking!

For more information or to book, contact The Fynbos Trail.

Photo Credit: Grootbos Nature Reserve