Gaultheria

( gol - TEER - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This evergreen shrub is grown for its attractive green foliage, bell-shaped flowers, and colorful fruits. They prefer acidic soil that is kept moist; smaller species are great for rock gardens and woodland plantings. They need partial shade and regular water to perform well in the garden. Use Gaultheria as year-round interest in mixed beds and borders in woodland gardens, on banks or slopes, in containers, or as a groundcover. Their fruits are edible, but all other parts of the plant can cause upset stomach if ingested, so take care when planting these shrubs in your garden.

Gaultheria Species and Varietals

The genus Gaultheria includes 238 species, and is in the family Ericaceae. The genus was named for French physician and botanist Jean Francis Gaultier. Gaultheria grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3-9, though this varies somewhat depending on the species cultivated; see below descriptions for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Gaultheria miqueliana (Miquel's Spicywintergreen, Miquel's Wintergreen)
Best in USDA hardiness zones 4a-8b or Sunset growing zones 3-7 and 14-17. This shrub is native to Japan and the Aleutian Islands. It gets 8-12 inches tall and 3 feet wide. Leaves are dark green and small white flowers bloom in late spring, followed by pink fruits that taste like wintergreen. Great for alongside pathways or in containers. Best in full sun to partial shade exposure.

Gaultheria mucronata (Pernettya mucronata) (Prickly Heath, Chilean Pernettya, Chaura, Pernettya)
This shrub grows best in USDA hardiness zones 6-9 or Sunset growing zones 4-7 and 15-17. Native to Chile and Argentina, this shrub reaches 2-3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, spreading by runners. Leaves are small and dark, glossy green, and turn red in the winter cold. Bell-shaped white to pink flowers appear in spring followed by long-lasting fruits in white, pink, red, rose, purple, or black. These can be invasive, but can be controlled through trimming. Great as a low border or container spiller plant. Likes partial shade, but can take full sun in all but the warmest climates. This species is considered invasive in Ireland and Britain.

Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Teaberry, Boxberry, Eastern Teaberry)
Grows best in UDSA hardiness zones 3-8 or Sunset growing zones 1-7 and 14-17. Native to North America, this shrub reaches 6 inches tall and about 1 foot wide. Dark, glossy green leaves turn reddish purple with the colder temperatures in fall. Foliage has a wintergreen odor when bruised or crushed. Small, pinkish white flowers followed by scarlet red berries that smell and taste like wintergreen. Great as a groundcover. Variety 'Red Baron' has large fruit, and 'Very Berry' fruits heavily.

Gaultheria shallon (Salal, Shallon, Oregon Wintergreen, Gaultheria)
Grows best in USDA hardiness zones 6-10 or Sunset growing zones 4-7 and 14-17. This species is native to Central California coast up to British Columbia. Can reach 4-10 feet tall and slightly wider at maturity. Glossy, bright green leaves and clusters of white or pinkish flowers bloom on reddish stalks in spring. Edible but bland black fruit follows blooms. This species is highly invasive in southern England and Scotland.

Caring for Gaultheria

Gaultheria fruits are edible, but other parts of the plant can cause upset stomach if ingested, so take care when planting these shrubs in your garden. Plant Gaultheria in a space in the landscape that receives partial to full shade; ideally, they appreciate between 4 and 6 hours of sun each day with afternoon shade. Too much direct sun can cause leaf scorch, yellowing, and overall plant stress. Gaultheria are naturally understory trees, living their entire lives in sheltered, shaded areas under larger shrubs and trees. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5 (acidic). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants perform well in consistently moist soils.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead branches as they appear. Otherwise, these shrubs are best left to their own devices, and will form a handsome shape naturally. Gaultheria plants have a life span of between 5 and 20 years in the garden before needing to be replaced. They are slow-growing, and typically take 3-10 years to reach full size.

Caring for Gaultheria in Containers
Gaultheria shrubs, especially dwarf or compact varieties, can do very well in containers. Choose a pot with adequate drainage holes that is about two inches larger in diameter than the root ball or nursery pot. Fill it with a potting mix amended with perlite or organic matter to improve drainage and nutrient load and plant the shrub so that it sits about an inch or two below the rim of the container. Fill in around the outside of the root ball, allowing soil to settle but not packing it down. Apply a layer of mulch on top to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Gaultheria plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Harvesting Gaultheria
Gaultheria plants produce berries that are safe to eat raw. Take care to only harvest berries and not ingest any other plant parts, as they are somewhat toxic. The berries are small and red with a minty flavor. Harvest the berries in wintertime, bring them in to rinse them, and then store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They do not stay for long, and are best used immediately or otherwise preserved. The berries are used in pies, jams, cocktails, or as an ice cream ingredient or garnish.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Gaultheria can be propagated by using cuttings, through division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting or division methods. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Gaultheria by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Gaultheria by Division
Division is probably the easiest way to propagate these plants. The idea behind this method is that you are taking an existing clump of live plants and breaking it into smaller segments. Division should be attempted only when the plant is not in its blooming period. To use this method, you will need a clean shovel, clean pruning saw, extra pots if you are not going to immediately plant your divisions in the ground, and well-draining soil to fill the pots (again, if you will not be planting your divisions directly into the ground). To propagate by division, follow the instructions below:

Identify the area of plants you're going to divide. Start by loosening the soil around the plant with your shovel, working your way inward to avoid causing damage to the roots. Once you've gotten your clump out of the ground, lay it out on its side.
Divide the clump into segments, either with your shovel or with a pruning saw, as many as you'd like as long as there are at least three 'shoots' per segment. Lay them out on the ground.
If you will be planting your shrub in the ground, this is when you'll prepare your new hole. Dig a hole (large enough to accommodate the root ball of the clump you are planting) in the ground with your shovel in a sunny location with soil that is well-draining. If you have issues with drainage in your garden, amend with loamy soil before planting. Backfill and water generously.
If you are transporting your division elsewhere, or hanging on to it until you're ready to plant it, you'll need your pot filled with soil. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball of your division, and place your new plant in the soil. Water generously, ensuring that adequate drainage is occurring. Place the pot in a sunny location until you are ready to plant it in the ground.

Propagating Gaultheria by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seeds are contained within the fruiting bodies that are left once flowers fade. Remove the seeds from the flesh of the fruit, run them through a strainer to clean them, and set them out to dry on a paper towel.
Cold-stratify your seeds by placing them in moistened peat moss inside a sealable plastic bag, and put them in the refrigerator for between 4 and 13 weeks. Once this period is over, remove them from the peat moss and set them aside until you are ready to work with them.
In early springtime, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 1-2 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Gaultheria seeds are contained inside fruits that are left behind after the bell-shaped flowers fade.

Gaultheria seeds are relatively small, harvested from the berries of Gaultheria plants.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Gaultheria can be susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the garden: