This small, evergreen undershrub is generally not found away from the west of Ireland. It grows on dry heaths, acid soils and rocky moors where it blooms from May to October. Reaching 60cm tall, it bears loose, terminal racemes of pink-purple flowers (10-14mm long) which are bell-shaped narrowing with 4 lips turning back slightly. Each flower has a bract. The narrow, alternate leaves are dark green above with white felty undersides and the margins of these leaves are rolled back. This is a native plant and it belongs to the family Ericaceae.
I first found this beautiful plant growing beside a small waterfall at Cleggan, Co Galway in 1973. I photographed it growing at the side of the road not far from Clonbur, Co Galway in July 2014.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
