Habitat

• Newfoundland south to Georgia, west to Michigan
• inhabits forest floors

Habit and Form

• evergreen
• low groundcover to 6"
• creeps underground to form mats
• few side branches

Summer Foliage

• alternate, simple, evergreen leaves
• oval-shaped leaves, crenate margins
• glossy deep green color
• crushed leaves smell minty

Autumn Foliage

• leaves develop reddish tinge in cold weather

Flowers

• urn-shaped, white with hints of pink
• nodding and solitary
• produced May through summer

Fruit

• large fleshy red capsule
• wintergreen taste

Bark

• gray/brown, smooth stems

Culture

• organic, acid soils with good drainage
• light to full shade
• cool, moist soil and climate preferred
• difficult to grow as not adaptable

Landscape Uses

• naturalized situations
• woodland groundcover
• edible gardens

Liabilities

• difficult to replicate preferred growing conditions
• dislikes heat and humidity
• best in areas with cool summers
• will not tolerate drought

ID Features

• low, groundcover habit
• lustrous deep green leaves
• wintergreen fragrance of leaves and fruit
• bright red capsules

Propagation

• by seed
• division of clumps

Cultivars/Varieties

Forms with very large berries are commonly available, including 'Macrocarpa', though such selections are usually sold as the unnamed species.