Cassiope mertensiana – white mountain heather
Common Name
white mountain heather
Alternate Common Names
- western moss heather
Family
Ericaceae
Scientific Name
Cassiope mertensiana
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Moderately Dry (MD)
- Medium (M)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Poor (P)
Video link
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Mat-forming shrub
- Grows in patches or alongside other heathers
- Common in alpine heath and subalpine parkland
Key Identifying Characteristics
Lookalikes
- Easy to distinguish from other heathers in our region by scale-like leaves pressed to stem
- Club-moss mountain-heather (Cassiope lycopodioides) smaller-stemmed, related heather found in northern B.C., especially on Queen Charlotte Islands
Co-occurring Species
- Other heathers
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.