Wintergreen |
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| Common Name | Wintergreen |
| Scientific Name | Gaultheria procumbens |
| Also called Partridge Berry, Periwinkle, Spiceberry, Checkerberry, Deerberry Teaberry Boxberry, Wax Cluster, Canada Tea, and Mountain Tea, this small, creeping evergreen is a native of southern Canada and the United States. The leaves contain oil of wintergreen and are sharply astringent and aromatic, making them a favourite flavouring agent; wintergreen is a common ingredient in home-made root beer. The common names "deerberry" and "partridge berry" were coined because deer and partridge also know a good thing and love to eat the plant's berries. It's said wintergreen tea is good for many kinds of aches and pains, from headaches to rheumatism. It is also used to alleviate colds and fever. | |
| Plant | Perennial. An evergreen shrub. Wintergreen's stems creep on or beneath the surface of the ground, rooting themselves and sending up erect branches. Young leaves are lighter green, often with a reddish tinge. Single, nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers grow near the tops of the branches from May to September, followed by scarlet berries, which are about 1/3 inch in diameter. |
| Height | 2 to 6 inches. |
| Soil | Acid, sandy, rich, and well-drained. |
| Exposure | Shade or partial shade. |
| Propagation | By seeds planted during spring or fall during the third lunar phase. Also by division of the rooted stems in fall or spring. The herb can be layered as well. |
| Care | Wintergreen makes a good ground cover. Its ideal location is in pine woods, and it is a favoured wild garden plant. It is difficult to establish plants taken from the woods; nursery-grown plants take better. Plant them on a shady slope, and mulch them with 2 to 4 inches of pine needles. |
| Part used for Tea | Young leaves. |
| Taste | Wintergreen flavour, cooling and refreshing. |
| How to Brew | BY INFUSION: Cover 1 teaspoonful of crushed or chopped leaves with 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for a few minutes to release the maximum amount of oil of wintergreen. |
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