Gaultheria forrestii (Forrest's Wintergreen)
Botanical Information
Family | Ericaceae |
Genus | Gaultheria |
Species | forrestii |
Synonyms | Andromeda flexuosa, Andromeda katagherensis, Arbutus laurifolia, Brossaea fragrantissima, Gaultheria forrestii, Gaultheria fragrans, Gaultheria hirsuta |
Category | Woody |
Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
Origin | Southwest China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia. |
Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | The leaves yield around 1.25% of an essential oil, this is a wintergreen substitute and it is used in perfumery, as a hair oil and medicinally. |
Details
USDA Hardiness Zone | 8a - 10b |
USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
RHS Hardiness Zone | H5 - H2 |
RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
Temperature (°C) | -12.2 - 1.7 |
Temperature (°F) | 10 - 35 |
Height | 1.0 - 4.0 m |
Flowering Period | March, April |
Description and Growing Information
General Description | An evergreen shrub, occasionally a small tree. It usually grows around 100 - 400 cm tall. |
ID Characteristic | This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. |
Shape | A compact and mounding species with arching branches. |
Landscape | As ground cover, flower beds, low maintenance cover, city and urban gardens, informal rock gardens or as a specimen. |
Propagation | By seed or hardwood cuttings. |
Cultivation | Thrives in acid, sandy soils that are well drained and once established can tolerate periods of drought. It does well in partial shade to full sun. |
Notable Specimens | Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
Habitat | Forests and shrubberies, usually on dry slopes. Evergreen, Pinus, and mixed forests, forest margins, thickets on dry slopes, sunny slopes; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,200 metres. |
Bark/Stem Description | Grey to light green bark. |
Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Buds are 1 mm in length, smooth and red in colour. |
Leaf Description | Deep green and glossy, narrow pointed leaves. |
Flower Description | Racemes of pure white flowers. |
Fruit Description | Large clusters of purple to bright blue fruit. |
Photographs
![Gaultheria forrestii, form, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Gaultheria forrestii, form, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.](photos/Gaultheria-forrestii-tren-frm.jpg)
Gaultheria forrestii, form, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
![Gaultheria forrestii, leaf, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Gaultheria forrestii, leaf, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.](photos/Gaultheria-forrestii-tren-lf1.jpg)
Gaultheria forrestii, leaf, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
![Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.](photos/Gaultheria-forrestii-tren-flw1.jpg)
Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
![Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.](photos/Gaultheria-forrestii-tren-flw2.jpg)
Gaultheria forrestii, flower, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
![Gaultheria forrestii, bark, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Gaultheria forrestii, bark, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.](photos/Gaultheria-forrestii-tren-bk1.jpg)
Gaultheria forrestii, bark, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.