New England Wild Flower Society

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Gaultheria procumbens

wintergreen


Wintergreen's evergreen leaves are the original source of wintergreen flavoring and make for a great trail-side snack. In the wild, these plants tend to form trailing, sporadic patches in shady woodlands. Give them a bit more sun and they can fill out nicely.

Click on these links to read in detail:  General Description | Benefits | Ecology | References


Height: 1-4 in
Spread: 6-12 in
Hardiness Zone: 2-8


Bloom Color: White

Characteristics & Attributes

Cultivation Status
Species
Exposure
Part Shade
Shade
Soil Moisture
Average
Dry
Ecoregion
(59) Northeastern Coastal Zone
(84) Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens
(82) Acadian Plains and Hills
(58) Northeastern Highlands
(83) Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands
Ornamental Interest
Winter Interest and/or Evergreen
Fall Foliage
Fall/Winter Fruit
Summer Bloom
Attracts Wildlife
Other Pollinators/Wildlife
Attracts Bees
Tolerance
Deer/Rabbit Resistant
Drought Tolerant
Additional Attributes
Fragrant
Edible
Low Maintenance
Landscape Use
Groundcover
Naturalize
Specimen
Attractive Fall Foliage and/or Ornamental Fruit
Red Fruit
Growth Habit
Spreading/Suckering


North American Distribution


General Description

Bloom Description: Bell shaped flowers typical of plants in the blueberry family. They bloom in early summer, but can go unnoticed because the plant is small and the flowers droop.

Growth Habit & Shape: Low, creeping plant that will create clonal mats from rhizomes. Slow growing plant that can be outcompeted by more aggressive ground covers.

Soil Preferences: Grows best in moist well-drained soil but can handle dry, loamy soils. Often found in coniferous forests with acidic soils.

Root Description: Shallow, running roots that can create colonies in the right conditions.

Garden Uses: Borders, woodland gardens, rock gardens, shade gardens, and naturalized areas.

Best Management & Maintenance: Prefers shade to part shade environments. To showcase the flowers and fruits, plant on hillside next to the trail to provide a better view.

Common Problems: May have issues with mildew and leaf spot but not very common. Also aphids and thrips may cause feeding damage occasionally.

Benefits

Ornamental Value: Evergreen leaves provide year round interest and when temperatures drop the leaves turn red. Leaves also emit an evergreen smell when crushed. Bright red fruits in the fall are showy.

Wildlife Benefits: Both the fruit and leaves provide food for wildlife during the winter. Animals that benefit are white tailed deer, wild turkey, sharp tailed grouse, northern bobwhite, ring-necked pheasant, black bear, white footed mouse, red fox, and eastern chipmunk. Browsing is rarely significant enough to kill the plant.

Other Practical/Environmental Benefits: Can handle heavy shade, drought, deer resistant, soil compaction, and heat

Use in place of: Cotoneaster

Ecology

Habitat:
Often found in New England’s pine and hardwood forest’s understories.


Response to Disturbance: G. procumbens can handle some browsing, but is slow growing so it does not respond well to large disturbance events.

Native State Distributions:
Canada: MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC
USA: AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV


Wetland indicator status: FACU

Companion Plants:
Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

References

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Photo by Michael Piantedosi � Native Plant Trust
Photo by Michael Piantedosi � Native Plant Trust
wintergreen - Gaultheria procumbens from Native Plant Trust
wintergreen - Gaultheria procumbens from Native Plant Trust
wintergreen - Gaultheria procumbens from Native Plant Trust