Native to: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba
Gaultheria procumbens
Wintergreen, Creeping Wintergreen, American Wintergreen
- Main interest:
- colourful winter foliage and berries, "wintergreen" scent
- Exposure:
- partial to full shade
- Soil humidity:
- dry to wet soil
- Flower colour:
- pink and white
- Fragrance:
- Fragrant
- Flowering period:
- June to August
- Foliage:
- green
- USDA Hardiness:
- zone 3a: -40 °C (-40 °F) View Zone Map
- Mature height & width (max.):
- height: 6 in (15 cm) width: 12 in (30 cm)
- Use:
- groundcover, edging, container
Wintergreen is a native groundcover sought after for its evergreen foliage, flowers, and berries. Rounded, leathery green leaves turn reddish with the cold weather and provide a colourful juxtaposition against the snow. Small, bell-shaped flowers are white and pink and bloom in the summer before giving way to red berries that persist through the winter. The leaves exude a wintergreen fragrance if bruised or crushed. This minty flavor comes from the chemical methyl salicylate, produced by the plant. Creeping Wintergreen leaves can be used to make tea or extract. The red berries are also edibles and used in many recipes.
Also known as: Checkerberry, Eastern Teaberry, American Mountain Tea, Boxberry, Aromatic Wintergreen, Creeping Checkerberry, Ground Checkerberry, Spring Wintergreen, Tea Leaves, Wintergreen Oil Plant, Youngsters