# American wintergreen (*Pyrola americana*) American wintergreen is a small plant with shiny green leaves and pretty white flowers. It grows close to the ground and loves to live in cool, shady places like forests. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Forests ![American wintergreen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pyrola_americana_BB-1913.png&width=800) Photo: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles S, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyrola_americana_BB-1913.png) ## Appearance The American wintergreen has waxy, dark green evergreen leaves that contrast with its bright red berries in fall and winter. Its nodding, bell-shaped flowers are white to pinkish, clustered on a slender reddish stalk rising above the leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Pyrola ## Interesting facts - Even after the snow falls, its shiny leaves peek through, adding a splash of green to the winter landscape! - Its bright red berries can stay on the plant all winter, offering a colorful snack for wildlife! - Native American tribes used its leaves to make medicinal teas for aches and pains. - The "wintergreen" flavor in many candies comes from a chemical found in this plant and its relatives! ## Special abilities - **Evergreen Survival:** American wintergreen has tough evergreen leaves that can photosynthesize all winter, helping it survive cold weather. - **Underground Network:** American wintergreen spreads with underground stems called rhizomes, allowing it to form new plants and colonize areas. - **Flavorful Defense:** American wintergreen has chemicals that give it a unique wintergreen scent and flavor, which helps deter hungry herbivores. - **Mycorrhizal Helper:** American wintergreen partners with fungi in its roots to absorb nutrients, especially in poor forest soils. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Ruffed Grouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruffed-grouse) (*Bonasa umbellus*) — Consumes berries, especially in winter. - **Eats:** [White-footed Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-footed-mouse) (*Peromyscus leucopus*) — Feeds on seeds and berries. - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Symbiotic with:** Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus (*Rhizophagus irregularis*) — Forms beneficial partnership with plant roots. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any plants without asking an adult, even if they look tasty. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American wintergreen? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is American wintergreen? 5-15 cm ### How big are the flowers on American wintergreen? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does American wintergreen bloom? Late spring to summer ### Is American wintergreen edible? Yes ### Is American wintergreen toxic? Mild ### What is American wintergreen's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is American wintergreen pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Brett Woods Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brett-woods-open-space) — Connecticut, US · Park - [Broadway-Armory Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-armory-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Customhouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/customhouse-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Downtown Providence Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-providence-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [East Windsor Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-windsor-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Frelinghuysen Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frelinghuysen-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see American wintergreen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-wintergreen) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [American wintergreen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-wintergreen)