Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
Like partridge berry (Mitchella repens), pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata), and spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata), wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a low-growing, glossy-leaved perennial common to our area. With numerous common names, wintergreen could easily be the poster child for why Latin names are so important. This small red-berried plant is also called teaberry, checkerberry, deerberry and boxberry, among other things. The plant is shade tolerant, but berries are more common on wintergreen plants growing in clearings. Also, although the plant is considered…