The small leaves of the ker-ker or Erica sparsa grow in whorls of three around the upper stems. They are narrow, ascending to spreading and covered in grey hairs. Leaf margins are rolled under, leaving only a tiny slit on the lower surface.

The common name ker-ker is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound made by the leaves when brushed against by passers-by (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Baker and Oliver, 1967; www.plantzafrica.com).