The names heath and heather are often used interchangeably. Although both are somewhat similar low evergreen shrubs of the Old World, heather has short, scale like, overlapping leaves and a profusion of long-lasting rosy flowers; the true heaths (genus Erica) have needle like leaves and white, rose, or yellow flowers. Species of this large genus are characteristic of vast moor areas in W Europe and, especially, South Africa and the Mediterranean area.