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Ericaceae
Gaultheria

not marked as a favorite taxon Gaultheria procumbens Linnaeus. Common name: Teaberry, Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Creeping Wintergreen. Phenology: Jun-Aug; Sep-Nov. Habitat: Heath balds, woodlands, and openings, usually acidic and xeric. Distribution: Newfoundland and Labrador (Newfoundland) west to Manitoba, south to e. North Carolina, ne. Georgia, Alabama, c. Tennessee, Kentucky, n. Indiana, and Minnesota.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Can, F, FNA8, G, Il, K1, K4, Mi, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Luteyn et al (1996). Basionym: Gaultheria procumbens L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Gaultheria procumbens - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 4

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image #1 of Gaultheria procumbens© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Gaultheria procumbens© Alex Graeff, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Alex Graeff source CC-BY-NC-ND, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Gaultheria procumbens© Alan Cressler: Gaultheria procumbens, fruit, Lake Burton Dunite Ridge, Chattahoochee National Forest, Rabun County, Georgia 2 by Alan Cressler source
image #4 of Gaultheria procumbens© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Gaultheria procumbens© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Gaultheria procumbens© Mark Kluge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mark Kluge source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Gaultheria procumbens© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Gaultheria procumbens© Alan Cressler: Gaultheria procumbens, Chattahoochee National Forest, Rabun County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Gaultheria procumbens© Jennifer Peterson | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Gaultheria procumbens© Zach Irick, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Zach Irick source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #11 of Gaultheria procumbens© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #12 of Gaultheria procumbens© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #13 of Gaultheria procumbens© Zach Irick, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Zach Irick source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #14 of Gaultheria procumbens© Steven Daniel, all rights reserved, uploaded by Steven Daniel source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Rhizomatous, colonial perennial of heath balds, woodlands, openings and bogs, usually on acidic (often dry) sites.

Stems: Stem unbranched, somewhat woody and smooth or hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate but clustered toward the top of the short stem, elliptical, 1-2 in. long, with widely spaced bristle-tipped teeth, evergreen-leathery and shiny.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers (1-several) dangling from leaf axils, white to pink, 1/4-1/2 in. long, urn-shaped with bell-shaped, shorter calyx.

Fruits: Fruit a bright red, many-seeded, persistent berry-like capsule.

Comments: Leaves and fruit with strong wintergreen fragrance and flavor; an extract of this plant has been used to flavor teas, chewing gum, candy and medicines.

Height: 2-6 in.

plant sale text: Wintergreen is a rhizomatous, evergreen member of the heath family with glossy, leathery dark green leaves. In early summer, the plants develop waxy, nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers that ripen into edible bright red berries which can persist through winter and serve as an important source of food for many forms of wildlife. Wintergreen is an excellent groundcover for rock gardens and as a companion plant for other acid-loving shrubs such as azaleas, rhododendrons, kalmias and blueberries in woodland shade gardens.

bloom table text:

description: Rhizomatous, colonial perennial of heath balds, woodlands, openings and bogs, usually on acidic (often dry) sites.

stems: Stem unbranched, somewhat woody and smooth or hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate but clustered toward the top of the short stem, elliptical, 1-2 in. long, with widely spaced bristle-tipped teeth, evergreen-leathery and shiny.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers (1-several) dangling from leaf axils, white to pink, 1/4-1/2 in. long, urn-shaped with bell-shaped, shorter calyx.

fruits: Fruit a bright red, many-seeded, persistent berry-like capsule.

comments: Leaves and fruit with strong wintergreen fragrance and flavor; an extract of this plant has been used to flavor teas, chewing gum, candy and medicines.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America