Spotted Wintergreen

$4.99
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color:
Green, White
ships:
Year Round
season:
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
zone:
6, 7
exposure:
Partial - Full Shade
category:
Ground Covers, Perennials, Natives
color
Green, White
ships
Year Round
season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
zone
6, 7
exposure
Partial - Full Shade
category
Ground Covers, Perennials, Natives



Spotted Wintergreen

Chimaphila maculata or spotted wintergreen is also known as striped wintergreen, striped prince’s pine or ratsbane. This small evergreen herb is native to Central and North America. It blooms in late summer with pink or white flowers that appear at the top of a tall, woody stalk. “Chimaphila” means “lover of winter,” perhaps because the plant is most visible in the autumn and winter when other, larger plants have lost their leaves.

Buy Spotted Wintergreen plants online

Spotted wintergreen’s leaves have a mottled dark green and white appearance that gives it its “spotted” and “striped” nicknames. A close relative is Chimaphila umbellata, which has solid dark green leaves without the mottling. The “wintergreen” names refer to its evergreen leaves; it’s not a relative of the true wintergreen plant Gaultheria procumbens and does not have a mint-like smell. Its flower do have a slight, delicate fragrance. The leaves are edible and are used in some folk remedies. Deer generally avoid this plant. 

How to Plant

Native to the shady woods, this herb prefers dry, sandy soil and should be planted in partial shade to medium shade. The plant grows slowly and prefers neutral, slightly alkaline or slightly acidic soil. Spotted wintergreen will grow underneath shrubs and other larger plants, in wooded areas and in mountainous regions.

Use in Landscaping

Spotted wintergreen grows to a mature height to six to ten inches tall when in bloom, or three to five inches high excluding the flower stalk. Because its leaves stay green all year, spotted evergreen may be used as an ornamental perennial plant year-round.

The plant does not require pruning and is very easy to take care of once planted. Bees are its primary pollinator.
 
Spotted Wintergreen for sale online at Perennial Nursery.

Spotted Wintergreen are shipped as bare root.

FAQ

1. Does Spotted Wintergreen spread?

A. Spotted Wintergreen, also known as Chimaphila maculata, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North America. It typically spreads through its rhizomes (underground stems) to form colonies or clumps. The plant has a creeping habit, and new shoots can emerge from the rhizomes, allowing it to spread slowly over time.

2. Do deer eat wintergreen berries?

A. While deer are generally herbivores and may eat a wide range of vegetation, including berries, it's important to note that their preferences can vary. Some sources suggest that deer may eat wintergreen berries, especially in the winter when other food sources are scarce. However, the availability of alternative forage and the local deer population's feeding habits can influence whether they actively seek out and consume Spotted Wintergreen berries.

  • 5
    Spotted Wintergreen

    Posted by Spotted Wintergreen on 13th Mar 2023

    My plants arrived in very good condition. They also had packing instructions!

  • 5
    Wintergreen

    Posted by Sandra M Arseth on 26th Nov 2021

    Purchased some spotted wintergreen roots which came carefully packed with other plants i bought. They were labeled , healthy roots in a plastic bag. I planted them in a pot, put it under some lights, a few days with a cover for humidity and a week later there are new sprouts coming from the roots. Very impressed. Will purchase more.