▁north ▁to ▁Bulg aria ▁and ▁west ▁to ▁Portugal ▁and ▁the ▁Can ary ▁and ▁Made ira ▁Islands . ▁ ▁Natural ised ▁populations ▁occur ▁in ▁south - e astern ▁Australia . ▁ ▁The ▁wood , ▁known ▁as ▁b ri ar ▁root ▁( F rench : ▁bru y ère ), ▁is ▁extremely ▁hard ▁and ▁heat - res istant , ▁and ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁making ▁sm oking ▁pip es . ▁Le af ▁foss il ▁at ributed ▁to ▁this ▁species ▁were ▁described ▁for ▁the ▁M io - P le ist oc ene ▁depos it ▁of ▁São ▁Jorge ▁in ▁Made ira ▁Island . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁Er ica ▁ar b ore a ▁is ▁an ▁u pr ight ▁ever green ▁shr ub ▁or ▁small ▁tree ▁with ▁a ▁typical ▁height ▁in ▁the ▁wild ▁of ▁some ▁, ▁especially ▁in ▁Africa , ▁but ▁more ▁typically ▁ ▁in ▁gard ens , ▁ ▁bearing ▁dark ▁green ▁need le - like ▁leaves ▁and ▁numerous ▁small ▁h oney - sc ented ▁bell - sh aped ▁white ▁flowers . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁calc if uge , ▁prefer ring ▁acid ▁soil ▁in ▁an ▁open ▁sun ny ▁situation . ▁ ▁Cult iv ars ▁Several ▁cultiv ars ▁and ▁hy br ids ▁have ▁been ▁developed ▁for ▁garden ▁use , ▁of ▁which ▁the ▁following ▁have ▁gained ▁the ▁Royal ▁H ort icult ural ▁Society ' s ▁Award ▁of ▁Garden ▁Mer it : ▁ ▁E . ▁ar b ore a ▁' Est rel la ▁Gold ' ▁( g old - ti pped ▁leaves ) ▁E . ▁ar b ore a ▁var . ▁al p ina