Wintergreen
Gaultheria procumbensWintergreen is a native evergreen ground cover. White, lily of the valley type flowers in spring followed by red berries up to one half an inch in the fall. Prefers forest like soil of high organic matter, and does well in shade and semi shade. Leaves make tea and the fruit can be eaten fresh. Popular commercial products such as tooth paste, chewing gum, candy, message oil, and breath mints are scented or flavored with wintergreen. Wintergreen spreads from under the surface of the soil with spear-like roots that cling to particles of decomposing forest liter such as leaves, sticks, and bark, before they surface and leaf, spreading away from the mother plant. Also called Teaberry, wintergreen is a popular herbal tea. Spacing @ 6" apart. Zone 3-8.
| Plant Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Pest Resistance | Excellent |
| Disease Resistance | Excellent |
| Drought Tolerance | Fair |
| Heat Tolerance | Fair |
| Humidity Tolerance | Good |
| Sun Tolerance | Poor |
| Wet Soil Tolerance | Fair |
| Shade Tolerance | Good |
| No Spray | Excellent |
| Salt Tolerance | Fair |
| Fun for Kids | Good |
| Deer Resistance | Poor |
| Thorns | No |
| Soil Type | High Organic Matter |
| Edible Type | Berry |
| Self Fertile | Yes |
| this information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, comments/opinions are always welcome | |
Wintergreen Care Guide
Wintergreen is native to the Allegheny region of the eastern U.S. Planting and care are very similar to blueberry, lingonberry and cranberry. Wintergreen is a ground cover with a shallow root system. It spreads by sending root shoots from the mother plant under the surface of the soil and leafing from the soil a few inches away from the mother plant. It spreads very well in a prepared bed of peat moss mixed with pine bark. We've planted them on top of the ground in two year old wood chips with success. If conditions of your prepared bed are optimum, you will have no problem growing wintergreen.
Wintergreen berries ripen in the fall, turning a beautiful red. They can be eaten fresh or used as flavoring in fruit salads. The leaves make a delicious wintergreen tea. As most of our plants, they are a healthful addition to any diet. also good to chew before kissing.
Good Luck.
