Pyrola asarifolia
bog wintergreen
Northern North America and northeastern Asia
Attracts Pollinators
Native to North America
Overview
Pyrola asarifolia is an evergreen perennial forming basal rosettes of rounded, leathery leaves that spread by slender underground rhizomes into loose colonies. Each leaf blade is 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long and wide, dark green and glossy above, with a kidney- to heart-shaped base resembling the leaves of wild ginger, the trait that gives the species its epithet. From the rosette, a leafless flowering stalk rises 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) and carries 10-25 nodding flowers in an open raceme. Each flower is 0.3-0.5 inch (8-13 mm) across with five pink to rose-purple petals and a curved, protruding style. Plants grow in moist coniferous and mixed forests, bogs, and streambanks across northern latitudes. The roots form associations with soil fungi, drawing part of the plant carbon from the fungal network, which makes established colonies slow to expand and difficult to transplant or cultivate from divisions. Bloom occurs in summer, after which dry seed capsules split to release dust-like seeds. The evergreen foliage persists through winter beneath snow cover. Limitations include a strict requirement for acidic, humus-rich soil and consistent moisture; plants decline quickly in disturbed, compacted, or alkaline ground. Growth is slow, with colonies expanding only a few inches per year under suitable forest conditions.
Native Range
Pyrola asarifolia is native to North America, ranging across Canada and the northern United States from Alaska to Newfoundland and south through the Rocky Mountains, with additional populations in northeastern Asia. It grows in moist coniferous forests, bogs, and along shaded streambanks.Suggested Uses
Grown in shaded native-plant and woodland gardens with acidic soil and abundant leaf litter. Suited to bog margins and the understory of conifers where soil stays moist. Difficult to establish outside its natural forest setting.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open in summer, generally June through August depending on elevation and latitude. The leafless flowering stalk holds 10-25 nodding flowers that open from the base upward over two to three weeks. Each pink to rose-purple flower is 0.3-0.5 inch (8-13 mm) across. Dry seed capsules follow and persist on the stalk into autumn.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Pink to rose-purpleFoliage Description
Dark green and glossyGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-5 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