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, 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.
Gaultheria forrestii, bark, Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.