Heath Family (Ericaceae)

Some species in the heath family are cultivated as ornamentals in horticulture. The most commonly grown genera are the madrone or arbutus (Arbutus spp., including A. menziesii of North America), heather (Calluna spp.), heath (Erica spp.), and rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.). Cultivated rhododendrons include the white laurel or rose bay (Rhododendron maximum) and red laurel (R. catawbiense), native to eastern North America, and California mountain laurel (R. californicum), as well as the Asian azalea (R. indicum) and garden azalea (R. sinense).

The fruits of most species of blueberries and cranberries (Vaccinium spp.) are important crops in some areas, as are huckleberries (especially Gaylussacia baccata of eastern North America). Any of these may be gathered from the wild, or they may be intensively cultivated in monocultures.

Various species of blueberries are cultivated in agriculture, including the so-called lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium, V. canadense, V. pennsylvanicum, and V. vacillans), and the taller, high-bush blueberries (V. atrococcum and V. corymbosum). These are typically grown on acidic, nutrient-poor, sandy soils, and the fields are burned every several years in order to stimulate the sprouting of new twigs and branches, which then flower profusely. Blueberry fields may also be fertilized, but only at a relatively small rate. This is because agricultural weeds usually respond more vigorously to nutrient addition than do blueberries, so that excessive fertilization can cause problems. When they are ripe, the fruits are usually picked with a hand-held implement called a rake, which is a scoop-like device with numerous prongs on its underside, which can harvest the blueberries without collecting excessive quantities of leaves.

Cranberries are also cultivated, usually on sandy, wet, acidic soils. The most commonly grown species is Vaccinium macrocarpon. During the autumn harvest, cranberry fields are often flooded, and when the berries float to the surface, the fields provide a spectacularly red vista. Cranberries are also harvested using a rake-like device.

The mountain cranberry or cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is collected in the wild, and is used in Scandinavia to make jams and a distinctive wine and liquor. All other cranberries and blueberries may be used to make jams, pies, and other cooked foods.

The common wintergreen or checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens) is a natural source of oil-of-wintergreen (or methyl salicylate), which can be distilled from the leaves of this plant, and also from the twigs and inner bark of some species of birches (especially Betula lenta of eastern North America). Oil-of-wintergreen is commonly used as a flavoring for gums, candies, and condiments. This substance is also sometimes applied by massage as an analgesic for sore muscles. Oil-of-wintergreen is apparently pleasantly sweet to drink, which is unfortunate, because this material is highly toxic if ingested in large quantities, so that children have been killed by drinking this medicinal product. The smaller doses obtained from drinking a pleasant-tasting tea, made by boiling a small quantity of leaves, is said to relieve certain pains and discomforts of rheumatism.

A relatively minor use of a member of the heath family is that of briar wood (Erica arborea) of Europe, the wood of which has been used to make pipes for smoking tobacco.