Gaultheria hispidula
creeping snowberry
Northern North America (boreal Canada and northern United States)
Overview
Gaultheria hispidula is a trailing evergreen subshrub that forms low, creeping mats no more than 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) high, with thread-like stems rooting as they spread across moss and rotting wood. The tiny oval leaves are about 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) long, dark green and leathery, with bristly brown hairs on the undersides and rolled-under edges. Small bell-shaped white flowers, about 0.1 inch (2-3 mm) long, hang singly in the leaf axils in late spring. They are followed by rounded white berries 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) wide, also bristly, that ripen by late summer and taste of wintergreen. The plant grows in cool, moist, acidic conifer forests, peat bogs, and on mossy logs and hummocks across northern North America. It needs constant moisture, deep shade to part shade, and acidic, humus-rich ground, and it declines in dry, sunny, or alkaline conditions. Growth is slow, and the thin mats spread only gradually. The slender stems and small size make it sensitive to drying out and to competition from taller plants.
Native Range
Gaultheria hispidula is native to northern North America, across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia and south into the northern United States, including the Great Lakes states, New England, and the southern Appalachians. It grows in cool, moist coniferous and mixed forests, peat bogs, and on mossy logs and hummocks.Suggested Uses
Grown as groundcover in cool, shaded bog gardens, woodland beds, and among rocks where soil stays moist and acidic. Used in native plant and naturalistic plantings with mosses, ferns, and other acid-loving species. The wintergreen-flavored berries are edible and eaten fresh or used in preserves.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1" - 2"
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Bloom Information
Tiny bell-shaped white flowers about 0.1 inch (2-3 mm) long hang singly from the leaf axils in May and June. They are insect-pollinated and easily overlooked among the foliage. White bristly berries ripen from August into autumn and persist on the mat.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Gaultheria hispidula grows in part shade to full shade on constantly moist, acidic, humus-rich soil, often over peat, moss, or decaying wood. It needs steady moisture and cool roots and declines in dry, sunny, or alkaline conditions. Propagation is from division of rooted stem mats or from seed sown on damp, acidic medium. A mulch of leaf litter or sphagnum keeps the surface cool and moist. It is hardy in USDA zones 2-6 and withstands deep cold under snow. It does not tolerate heat, drought, or competition from vigorous neighbors.Pruning
No pruning is needed for this low, creeping plant. Stray or dead stems can be lifted and trimmed by hand. The mats are shallow-rooted and easily disturbed, so heavy cutting is avoided.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons