Bolster heath or cushion moorland is a type of vegetation community that features a patchwork of very low growing, tightly packed plants found at the limits of some alpine environments.
The cushion growth habit provides protection against the desiccating wind and help keep the cluster warm.
Bolster heath is very slow growing and thus very fragile.
Most propagation is by slow expansion, although two species, Abrotanella forsteroides and Pterygopappus lawrencei produce enough viable seed to survive fire.
The soil in bolster heath is generally quite poor, often gravel with a thin layer of peat.