Wintergreen

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a low, creeping evergreen shrub native to North American woodlands, with glossy leaves and red berries that carry the same cool, minty-medicinal aroma familiar from wintergreen candy and gum — though today most wintergreen flavoring is produced synthetically rather than extracted from the plant.

Growing Wintergreen

Wintergreen needs distinctly acidic soil and cool, shaded conditions, much like its rhododendron and azalea relatives, and struggles in alkaline or overly sunny spots. It makes a lovely, low, evergreen ground cover for a woodland garden, spreading slowly by rhizome and producing edible red berries into winter.

Traditional Uses

Wintergreen leaves have historically been steeped into tea, and the berries can be eaten fresh, though both carry only a mild version of the intense flavor found in wintergreen oil, historically extracted from the plant and now typically replicated synthetically for candy and gum. The essential oil is highly concentrated and not meant for casual home use.