Ericaceae is a family of plants commonly called the Heather family. They consist mainly of shrubs, trees, and a few herbaceous plants that flower. They are native to all regions of the world, but they prefer acidic, nutrient-poor soil in the cooler, more temperate climates.

There are 124 included genera with the most well-known being Rhododendron, Azaleas, Cranberry, Blueberry and Heather. Over 4250 known species of Ericaceae with Vacciniodeae having the largest genera. Vacciniodeae being an important source of food containing cranberry, blueberry, bilberry, huckleberry.

This name appears to mean ‘heather’ in Greek but could have been used as a general word for plants.