Gaultheria PROCUMBENS

Gaultheria PROCUMBENS - Wintergreen, Eastern teaberry, Gaultheria procumbens.

Can be grown indoors in bonsai style.

Gaultheria is an evergreen perennial in the family Ericaceae that initially catches attention with dense, vivid-green leaves. They range from tiny (up to 1.5 cm / 0.6 in long) to larger (3-4 cm / 1.2-1.6 in). In June, Gaultheria blooms with small white or pinkish flowers closely resembling nodding little urns and emitting a pleasant subtle fragrance. By September-October, large (up to 1 cm / 0.4 in) red, or more rarely bluish, white, or lilac fruits ripen in place of faded flowers, capable of remaining on twigs throughout the entire winter.

About 170 species of this plant are known, predominantly found in the Americas, Southeast Asia, and Australia. In cultivation, the most popular representative of the genus is wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), which has several folk names - wintergrass, checkerberry, mountain tea, or groundberry.

Gaultheria procumbens, or American wintergreen, in its native mixed forests of eastern North America, spreads with creeping smooth gray-brown shoots among taller shrubs across diameters of up to 40-45 cm (16-18 in) and rises above the ground only 10-15 cm (4-6 in). This evergreen dwarf shrub has elliptic, slightly pointed leaves 1.5-4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) long (occasionally ovate), leathery, with a glossy dark-green surface and crenate margins. Under cold temperatures, the leaves take on an attractive crimson hue. Flowers are bisexual, white with a pinkish tint, solitary, nodding, bell-shaped with a 5-lobed corolla, resembling goblet-shaped blossoms of wild wintergreens (Pyrola), which also belong to the heather family. Flowers are arranged singly or in few-flowered clusters. Readily pollinated by insects, as the plant is a nectar producer. Flowering continues from July to September, after which scarlet berries 0.5-1.5 cm (0.2-0.6 in) in diameter develop, often persisting until the following spring. All parts of the plant are aromatic.

Seeds are stratified for 2 months in a cold environment at 4-5 °C (39-41 °F). In home conditions, seeds are placed in a refrigerator. Seeds are sown on the surface. They are moistened from a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in the light at 21-22 °C (70-72 °F). Seedlings need ventilation. Overwatering and drying out of the sowing must be avoided.

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Gaultheria procumbens belongs to USDA hardiness zone 4 and withstands winter frosts down to -35 °C (-31 °F), but is sensitive to spring frosts and may freeze back during extreme freezes in winter. Planting Gaultheria should only be done in spring. Rich humic peaty cool moist soils (acidic or slightly acidic, ideally with pH 5.0-6.0) and partial shade are preferred. The plant tolerates moderate shade and brief dry spells. However, with sufficient soil moisture, it is preferable to choose a brighter spot in dappled shade of deciduous or evergreen plants in a sheltered location. This increases the likelihood of setting fruit.

It does not tolerate prolonged drought, overly dry soils, or the presence of lime. In temperate cultivation, it blooms from mid-June for about 20 days, followed after the hot period by a second flush in late August to early September. Berries ripen in September-November and can remain until the following summer. The plant's root system is a network of fine, nearly thread-like roots located at a depth of just 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) in the upper humus layer, making mulching highly beneficial. After flowering, the plant can be pruned if necessary. During this same period, feeding with fertilizers for acid-loving (ericaceous) plants is recommended.