Gaultheria pyroliifolia

Family: Ericaceae

What it is like

Gaultheria pyroliifolia is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Alpine windswept moorlands, thickets and grasslands at elevations of 3600 - 4000 metres.

E. Asia - eastern Himalayas in Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, India ad China.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Prefers a moist but not boggy humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade. A peat and moisture loving species, it requires a lime-free soil. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has been confused in the past with G. pyroloides, a distinct species from Japan.

Propagating it: The seed requires a period of cold stratification. Pre-chill for 4 - 10 weeks and then surface sow in a lime-free compost in a shady part of the greenhouse and keep the compost moist. The seed usually germinates well, usually within 1 - 2 months at 20°c, but the seedlings are liable to damp off. It is important to water them with care and to ensure that they get plenty of ventilation. Watering them with a garlic infusion can also help to prevent damping of. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are about 25mm tall and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. The seedlings are susceptible to spring frosts so might need some protection for their first few years outdoors. The leaves remain very small for the first few years. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 3 - 6cm long, July/August in a frame in a shady position. They form roots in late summer or spring. A good percentage usually take. Division in spring just before new growth begins. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 5-9

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

G. pyrolifolia.