Gaultheria procumbens

Common Names

Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Eastern Teaberry, Teaberry, American Wintergreen, Boxberry, Creeping Wintergreen, Partridge Berry, Spiceberry

Summary

An evergreen groundcover native to eastern North America, it forms a dense, prostrate mat 4–8 inches tall and 6–12 inches wide, spreading by creeping rhizomes to a glossy green carpet; small urn-shaped flowers, white to pinkish, appear in summer, followed by bright red berries that persist through winter, and crushed leaves release a distinct wintergreen fragrance.

Requires moist, well-drained acidic soil and partial to full shade, with best performance in acidic soils (pH about 4.5–6.0) that stay evenly moist; propagation occurs by seed or division; serves as an ornamental ground cover for woodland understories, rock gardens, banks, borders, and containers; berries are edible and leaves can be used to make tea, while the wintergreen oil obtained from leaves is used in flavorings, medicinal preparations, and fragrance.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-6 inches

Spread

6-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade; tolerates full shade and partial sun.

Soil Type

Acidic, well-drained soil (pH 4.5–6.0).

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

4.5-6.0, Acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White to pinkish

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green evergreen foliage, typically glossy, with bronze-red or burgundy tones in autumn and pinkish tones in winter

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow growth, about 10 cm per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Rhizomes, Root cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds