Creeping Wintergreen, a Unique Groundcover

Rachael Spires, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener

At my recently purchased home in Ham Lake, I have 2.5 acres that are primarily wooded with a small patch of lawn. I was looking for a ground cover that would cover some bare spots and hopefully also help the pollinators, provide a little food for the local fauna, and look attractive most of the year. While strolling through the aisles of my local garden center, I stumbled upon the striking and resilient creeping wintergreen.

Scientifically known as ‘Gaultheria procumbens,’ creeping wintergreen is a small but mighty evergreen ground cover native to the woodlands of North America. It offers a striking example of nature's adaptability and charm; it certainly charmed the pants off me as I happily loaded a few pots into my cart. Once I got home, I did more research to make sure I selected the right plant for my needs and location, and I learned more about this hard-working plant.

·        Creeping wintergreen is a perennial shrub that typically grows between four to eight inches tall, with a spreading habit. Perfect.

·        It’s a popular choice for ground cover in shaded or partially-shaded garden areas. Another plus, as I have lots of trees.

·        In late spring to early summer, creeping wintergreen produces small, bell-shaped white to pinkish flowers, followed by bright red berries, which are a signature feature of the plant. They add a splash of color and are a valuable food source for wildlife. Jackpot!

·        The plant’s glossy, dark green leaves provide a vibrant contrast against a winter backdrop (spoiler alert, I won’t find out if this is true).

I was thrilled that creeping wintergreen checked all the boxes on my list. Since the tag said, “thrives in boggy conditions,” I decided the low-lying part of my backyard that is perpetually damp would be the perfect place to get them established. As I planted the shiny shrubs with their cheerful red berries, I imagined them happily creeping all over the backyard, growing into a gorgeous decorative border between the lawn and the wilderness. I couldn’t wait to see them flourish.

Robert Burns wrote, “the best-laid plans of mice and men oft’ go awry.” Sadly, in the case of my groundcover plans, awry they went! Have you heard of ground ivy? It has many other nicknames, but the most common one in Minnesota is ‘creeping Charlie.’ While I was busy with my summer, my beautiful wintergreen plants were smothered by creeping Charlie. I can’t even tell where I originally planted them now.

Although creeping wintergreen was not successful for me this year, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. If you have shade and acidic soil that is moist and well-drained, you can pair wintergreen with some rhododendrons and snowberries for an easy border that requires little maintenance once established. More importantly, if you make sure that creeping wintergreen is your only ‘creeper,’ you should have better luck than I did with this unique plant

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