Mitchella repens
partridgeberry
Overview
Mitchella repens is a prostrate, mat-forming evergreen native to eastern North America. Trailing stems grow 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) tall and root at the nodes, spreading 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) to form dense ground-covering colonies. The opposite leaves are rounded to oval, 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) long, dark green and glossy, often marked with a pale central vein. Flowers appear in joined pairs in early summer, each white and trumpet-shaped with four spreading lobes and a hairy inner throat, about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) across and lightly fragrant. The two flowers of each pair share a single ovary, so they ripen into one scarlet berry roughly 0.3 inch (8 mm) wide, marked with two small dimples. The berries are edible but nearly flavorless and persist through winter into the following spring. Growth is slow, spreading only a few inches per year, so colonies take several seasons to fill an area. It grows in acidic, humus-rich soils of dry to moist woodland, frequently under pines and hemlocks. M. repens tolerates deep shade but flowers and fruits more sparsely where light is very low.
Native Range
Mitchella repens is native to eastern North America, ranging from Newfoundland and Quebec south to Florida and Texas. It grows in the understory of deciduous and coniferous forests, often in acidic soils beneath pines, oaks, and hemlocks.Suggested Uses
Mitchella repens is used as an evergreen groundcover in woodland and shade gardens and in naturalized plantings beneath trees and shrubs. It suits terrariums and shaded rock gardens where its slow spread is contained. The persistent red berries extend interest into winter.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1" - 2"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in early summer, mainly June and July, with scattered later blooms into August in cooler sites. The white, four-lobed flowers open in pairs and are lightly fragrant. Berries ripen by late summer and often remain on the plant through winter.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark green with pale veinsGrowing 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
Grow Mitchella repens in part to full shade in acidic soil rich in organic matter, with steady moisture and good drainage. It establishes slowly and benefits from a mulch of leaf litter or pine needles that keeps the root zone cool and damp. Once settled, it tolerates short dry spells but declines in soils that stay waterlogged. It does not tolerate root disturbance or strong competition, so it establishes poorly in heavily trafficked or frequently cultivated ground. Propagation is by division of rooted stem sections or by seed, both slow to develop. Pests and diseases are rarely a serious problem.Pruning
No routine pruning is needed. Stray runners can be trimmed at any season to contain the spread, and rooted sections lifted to start new colonies. Clearing accumulated tree leaves in spring lets light reach the low foliage.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons