Heath

Heath, low woody plants (family Ericaceae) found on poor, acidic soil in parts of Asia and Europe and naturalized in North America. They may cover large areas of country, which are often called heaths. Other names for these plants are ling and heather. Scottish people have used the tough plants for bedding, thatching, and brooms. Sheep graze the fresh shoots and grouse eat the seeds, and a particularly fine honey is obtained from the bell-shaped flowers. Heaths are often grown in gardens, and white heath, or bruyère, of the Mediterranean is used to make briar pipes, manufactured from the roots.