Wintergreen

Gaultheria procumbens

In other languages: Bergthee (Nederlands) · Gaulthérie couchée (Français)

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a creeping, evergreen dwarf shrub from the woods of eastern North America, where it grows on acid soil under oaks and pines. It reaches only 10–15 cm tall and slowly spreads by underground runners into a dense carpet. The glossy, leathery leaves turn reddish in winter. In summer, small white to pale pink bells hang beneath the leaves, followed by bright red berries that last all winter. Crushed leaves smell of wintergreen, the fresh scent you may know from some chewing gum. That is why it is so popular in autumn containers and pots.

Caution: The leaves and berries contain methyl salicylate, the compound behind the wintergreen scent. The berries are sometimes eaten in North America, but do not let young children or pets eat them; cats are especially sensitive to salicylates. Do not use the plant yourself as a tea or remedy.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Partial shade or shade
tolerates little sun
Moisture
Normal to wet
must not dry out
Legal basis
Sand, loam or peat
acid
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -30 °C
Size
0.15 m
tall, 0.5 m wide
Flowering
July–August

Key facts
Height	0.15 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	July–August

Identify

Wintergreen: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Creeping dwarf shrub 10–15 cm tall that spreads by runners into a mat 50 cm or more across.
Leaves: Oval, 2–5 cm, leathery and glossy dark green; turning red to purple in winter.
Flower: Small, nodding, urn-shaped bells, white to pale pink, in July–August beneath the leaves.
Fruit: Bright red, round ‘berries’ about 1 cm across that stay on the plant from autumn into spring.
Scent: Crushed leaves and berries smell strongly of wintergreen.
Roots: Fine and shallow, with underground runners; it likes a cool, moist root run.

Flowering: July–August · Plants: March–April and September–October

In your garden

Why grow it?

Green all year, with red berries from autumn into spring.
In winter the leaves turn reddish brown to purple, a fine contrast with the berries.
A low ground cover for acid soil in partial shade, under rhododendrons and other shrubs.
Ideal in autumn and winter containers; afterwards you can simply plant it out in the garden.
Leaves and berries smell fresh of wintergreen when crushed.

Wintergreen: where does it grow best?

Partial or full shade; in full sun the leaves scorch and dry out.
Acid, humus-rich sandy, loamy or peaty soil: it cannot tolerate lime.
Always moist, even slightly wet, but never dry.
Plant 30–40 cm apart; for quick cover use 7–9 plants per square metre.

Light: Partial shade and shade
Soil type: Sand, loam or peat
Acidity: Acid
Moisture: Normal or wet
Size: 0.15 m tall, 0.5 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

Rhododendron: Likes the same acid, moist soil; wintergreen covers the ground beneath it.
Pieris: Evergreen, with drooping flower sprays in spring and red young leaves.
Ferns: Fresh green for a shady, acid corner.
Skimmia: Evergreen shrub with red berries or scented buds in winter.
Winter heath: Pink or white flowers next to the red berries in autumn and winter containers.

Maintenance

Wintergreen: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

Plant in March–April or in September–October.
Mix the soil with leaf mould, composted conifer needles or ericaceous compost; on chalky soil, grow it in a pot or container instead.
Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm gently.
Leave 30–40 cm between plants.
Water well straight away, preferably with rainwater, and keep the soil moist for the first few months.
Spread a layer of pine needles or leaf mould around the plants.

Care

Watering: Keep the soil lightly moist at all times, especially in summer and in pots. Use rainwater: hard tap water turns the leaves yellow.
Feeding: In spring, a little leaf mould or an organic fertiliser for acid-loving plants.
Mulching: A layer of pine needles or leaf mould keeps the soil acid, cool and moist.
In a pot: Use ericaceous compost and a pot with a drainage hole. After winter you can plant it out in the garden.
Weeding: Weed by hand between the runners until the carpet has closed.

Tip: After winter, take wintergreen out of your autumn container and plant it in the garden, in acid, moist soil in partial shade. There it becomes a lasting evergreen carpet.

Wintergreen: when to prune it?

When: Wintergreen needs no pruning. At most a little tidying in spring.

How:

In April, cut out dead or damaged shoots.
Shorten runners that grow out of the border.
Leave the berries on: they are decorative until spring.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Runners: In April or September, spade off a rooted piece at the edge of the carpet and replant it elsewhere in acid, moist soil.
Semi-ripe cuttings: In July–August: 5 cm cuttings in a moist mix of sand and peat-free ericaceous compost, under plastic.

Wintergreen: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

Very hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection needed.
The leaves turn reddish in the cold and the berries hang on all winter.
In containers and pots: keep them out of cold winds and water on frost-free days, as they also dry out in winter.

Diseases and pests

Yellow leaves: Yellow leaves with green veins point to chalky soil or hard water. Water with rainwater and mulch with pine needles.
Drying out: Brown, dry leaf edges in sun or drought. Water and move the plant to a shadier spot.
Root rot in pots: In a pot without drainage the roots rot and the leaves drop. Use a pot with a hole and do not leave water in the saucer.
Leaf spots: Brown spots on the leaves in warm, humid weather. Cut off affected leaves and allow some air movement.

Through the year

March: Planting. Mulch with pine needles.
April: Plant or replant runners. Cut out dead shoots.
May: Water with rainwater in dry spells.
July: Flowering. Water in dry spells. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
August: Flowering. Take cuttings.
September: The berries turn red. Planting.
October: Planting. Make up autumn containers.
November: Red berries and reddish leaves.
December: The berries brighten the garden or container. Water pots on frost-free days.

You and this species

Did you know?

The red ‘berry’ is really a dry capsule enclosed by a calyx that has become fleshy.
Oil of wintergreen used to be distilled from the leaves to flavour sweets, chewing gum and toothpaste. Today the scent is usually made synthetically.
The genus Gaultheria is named after Jean-François Gaultier, an 18th-century physician and botanist in Quebec.

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