Winter Flowering Heather

While searching for the Bilberry/Cowberry Hybrid on Norland Moor

I came across this winter flowering heather.

This heather is in the Erica family like our local heathers

Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix) and Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)

This is a hybrid called Darley Dale Heath (Erica x darleyensis)

It is of garden origin but has naturalised on a few moors around the country

http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=7298.0

It has very prominent anthers.

 Another flower adding a splash of colour on the moor top.

My first sight of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) this year.