wintergreen as a groundcover?
Vox Humana
"Barbara White" <b...@sei.cmu.edu> wrote in message
news:3CA221CA...@sei.cmu.edu...
> Has anyone used wintergreen as a groundcover in Zone 5-6? Is it, indeed,
> an evergreen plant? How quickly does it spread and does it like full
> sun/dry soil? (A lot of times, you read that a plant likes full sun but
> it wilts in the middle of summer...I just want to be 100% sure about
> this before I buy it.)
>
> I am having difficulty finding wintergreen online or otherwise. If you
> have a recommendation for a nursery to try, please let me know.
This is what a quick Google search found:
The Wintergreen or Checkerberry plant (also called Spicy Wintergreen,
Aromatic Wintergreen, Spring Wintergreen, or Creeping Wintergreen) is the
procumbens species of the genus Gaultheria. Other common names for
Wintergreen include Canada Tea, Deerberry, Groundberry, Hillberry, Mountain
Tea, Partridgeberry, Spiceberry, or Wax Cluster.
The genus Gaultheria is named for the 18th Century Quebequois Physician and
Botanist, Dr. Gaultier. The procumbens species owes its scientific name to
its prone growth habit, and its common names to its physical features.
The various species of Gaultheria are evergreen shrubs in the Heath
(Ericaceae) family. Gaultherias vary in size from large shrubs such as G.
hookeri (6') and G. codonantha (8') to low ones like G. merrilliana and
Wintergreen, G. procumbens (6").
Gaultherias are native to North America, Australia and nearby islands, E
Asia, and the Himalayas. They occur in shaded woodlands in deep acidic loam
and under medium shade. They are sometimes cultivated for their beauty as
landscape plants. When transplanted they prefer non-alkaline, peaty soil (or
rich woodland humus,) and moist, shady situation.
Wintergreen plants have small, alternating deep-green ovate leaves with
serrate edges. Their drooping white tubular flowers bloom from May to
September and mature to produce bright red edible berries about 1/3 of an
inch wide, which are favorites of many birds. Their leaves produce a heavy
volatile oil which is used for flavoring candies and as an aromatic
stimulant.
In North America, Wintergreen was grown and gathered for its medicinal and
flavoring properties before the advent of modern commercial chemistry. The
oil from the leaves can be distilled using steam; it contains methyl
salicylate, a close relative of aspirin. Medicinal uses have included
treating headaches, pain, inflammation, rheumatism, urinary problems, colic,
intestinal gas and other ailments (such as topical applications for skin or
joint problems), according to "The Herb Book" by John Lust. The pure oil
causes irritation to the skin and membranes due to it's stimulant and
astringent properties.
The English use of the word wintergreen dates to 1548, according to Oxford's
Universal. The name Wintergreen has been used for various ground-creepers
which stay green through the winter, such as Pyrola, Chimaphila, Trientalis,
or Polygala.
Pyrola minor or Pyrola americana plants have similar round white hanging
flowers. While from a different genus than Wintergreen, Pyrola americana is
commonly referred to as Roundleaf American Winterberry. While closely
resembling Wintergreen in leaf-form and habit, Pyrola americana lacks the
spicy aroma of Gaultheria procumbens.
The Chimaphila maculata plant is also from a different genus than
Wintergreen; yet it is called Spotted Wintergreen.
Chickweed Wintergreen plants are also from a different genus, being
Trientalis europaea and Trientalis americana. These evergreens favor
northern woodland habitats.
Flowering Wintergreen, also known as fringed milkwort, is from the genus
Polygala species paucifolia.
paghat
<b...@sei.cmu.edu> wrote:
> Has anyone used wintergreen as a groundcover in Zone 5-6? Is it, indeed,
> an evergreen plant? How quickly does it spread and does it like full
> sun/dry soil? (A lot of times, you read that a plant likes full sun but
> it wilts in the middle of summer...I just want to be 100% sure about
> this before I buy it.)
>
> I am having difficulty finding wintergreen online or otherwise. If you
> have a recommendation for a nursery to try, please let me know.
>
> Thanks.
> Barbara
Well I'm usda zone 8 sunset zone 5. It's thoroughly evergreen here & holds
its berries all winter too & the berries are bigger & tastier (less bland)
right now than when they were new in autumn. I just love the hell out of
it. It's my understanding its behavior wouldn't be no different in colder
climates except the leaves at the height of winter might have more red
than here.
I planted a long strip of it, some under considerable shade mostly under
a large hazel bush, & at the opposite end of that grouping, a few were out
in considerable sun. The stuff in the sun stayed small -- healthy looking
but showing no signs it's going to spread. The stuff in shade has gotten
much bigger & bushier. But it's not particularly fast even there at
filling in as a complete groundcover, so after getting impatient waiting
for it to fill in more, I just ended up putting more of them in, about
twenty 4" pots worth & four gallon pots, it now looks like a miniature
forest in that spot. Here's my wintergreen page:
http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/wintergreen.html#top
I think you should look at a couple more nearby nurseries for it, or even
ask your favorite nursery to get it in please. You may have just been
looking for it a week or two too soon for the seasonal restocks. It is
very commonly offered & inexpensive. But if you order it on-line I'd worry
you'd get such small lightweight starts such as take way too long to fill
in as a groundcover.
-paghat
--
"Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in
color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl:
http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top
Penny Morgan
northern NY, bordering Canada and Vermont and we had wintergreen berries all
over the forest floor in our pastureland. It seemed to grow in heavily
shaded areas and the berries were fabulous to eat. The plants were very
glossy leaved and small (2-3" tall) with red berries (soft white wintergreen
flavor inside). Loved picking them in the winter months and snacking on
them. Have never seen anyone advertise or sell them though. Good luck.
Penny
Zone 7 - North Carolina
"Barbara White" <b...@sei.cmu.edu> wrote in message
news:3CA221CA...@sei.cmu.edu...
David J. Bockman
moist, acidic, freely draining soil rich in humus. I love it but find it
problematic and difficult to establish.
--
David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
Bunabayashi Bonsai On The World Wide Web: http://www.bunabayashi.com
email: d...@bunabayashi.com
Iris Cohen
evergreen plant? How quickly does it spread and does it like full sun/dry soil?
>>
Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens, is a lovely groundcover, albeit rather
expensive. Yes, it is evergreen, and hardy in Zone 5. However, it spreads
slowly. It does not grow in the sun. It is a woodland plant & prefers at least
partial shade, not too dry.
You can get it from Greer Gardens.
http://www.greergardens.com/
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"It is forbidden to live in a town which has no greenery." Jerusalem Talmud,
Kiddushin 4:12.
Wendy B G
>an evergreen plant? How quickly does it spread and does it like full
>sun/dry soil?
I planted two wintergreens 3 years ago. Both were planted in an "eastern
woodland" environment: shady/ dappled sun, highly organic clay.
One died, for no apparent reason. The other grew slowly to a sparse 18" across.
It is evergreen, and does get berries.
I like having the plant for the sake of having an interesting herbal specimen,
but it is too sparse and slow-growing to make a good ground cover. I bought the
plants from the University of Delaware benefit plant sale, and they were pretty
expensive.
Wendy
Wilmington, DE (Zone 7)