The quality or state of being heathery; the characteristic of having heather, or resembling heather.
From 'heathery' (adjective) plus the suffix '-ness' (Old English '-nes'), which creates abstract nouns from adjectives. This botanical term is relatively modern.
This word shows how English-speakers create an almost infinite vocabulary for describing plants and landscapes—nearly any adjective can become a quality noun with '-ness,' allowing for precise botanical description.
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