Spotted wintergreen, Prince's pine
Chimaphila umbellata

Family: Ericaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It is evergreen. It often forms a mat. The underground stems or rhizomes are 1-2 mm across. They are long and creeping and branched. The aerial stems are erect or curve upwards. They are 5-15 cm long and 1-2.2 mm wide. They are angled. The leaves on the stem are in 2-6 groups of 4-9 leaves. The leaf stalk is 3-6 mm long. The leaf blade is pale green underneath. It is sword shaped and 1-5 cm long by 6-8 mm wide. It is thickly leathery. There are 2-7 flowers in a group 3-6 mm long. Often the flowers are nodding. The flowers are white. The fruit is a capsule 4-7 mm across. It splits open by 5 valves.

There are 4 Chimaphila species. They are in Europe and North America. Also put in the family Pyrolaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry pine and deciduous broad leafed forest at low altitudes in N China. It is best in light, well-drained soil. It needs a protected, shaded position. It is frost hardy. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Canada, Central America, China, Dominican Republic, Denmark, Europe, France, Germany, Haiti, Japan, Manchuria, Mexico, North America, Russia, Siberia, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The leaves are used to make tea. They are also chewed. The leaves are used for root beer. An extract of the leaves is used to flavour candy and soft drinks.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or by division.

Its other names

Local names

Encinilla, Pipsissewa

Synonyms

Pyrola umbellata Linnaeus;