Wintergreen

Wintergreen

Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens is a small woodland plant that often grows under conifers. Short stems growing up from an underground rhizome have a few shiny oval leaves at their tips. The leaves taste like wintergreen and once provided this flavouring agent. Single drooping white flowers produce red berries which are also fragrant and edible. The common name of this plant is confusing as it belongs to the heaths and not to the closely-related Wintergreen Family (Pyrolaceae). [CH] {GW}