# bog wintergreen (*Pyrola asarifolia*) Bog wintergreen is a small, evergreen plant that grows in wet, shady places. It has shiny, dark green leaves and pretty white flowers that look like little bells. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![bog wintergreen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pyrola_asarifolia_0488.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyrola_asarifolia_0488.JPG) ## Appearance The bog wintergreen has rounded, leathery evergreen leaves that often show a reddish tint underneath. Its tall, slender stalk bears nodding, waxy, bell-shaped flowers, typically ranging from white to pink or purplish-red. It visually stands out with its low rosette and upright blooms in damp, shady habitats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Pyrola ## Interesting facts - "Wintergreen" comes from its leaves staying green all winter! - It can grow in very acidic soil where many other plants can't! - Its tiny flowers hang upside down like little bells! - Some parts of this plant were traditionally used in folk medicine! ## Special abilities - **Evergreen Endurance:** Bog wintergreen has thick, evergreen leaves that photosynthesize even under snow, giving it a head start in spring. - **Mycorrhizal Might:** Bog wintergreen forms a symbiotic relationship with fungi to help absorb vital nutrients from nutrient-poor bog soils. - **Underground Networker:** Bog wintergreen can spread via rhizomes (underground stems) to form new plants, effectively colonizing suitable damp areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — collects pollen and nectar from flowers. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — occasionally nibbles its leaves and stems. ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants in nature, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bog 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 bog wintergreen? 5-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on bog wintergreen? 1-2 cm ### When does bog wintergreen bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is bog wintergreen edible? No ### Is bog wintergreen toxic? None ### What is bog wintergreen's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is bog wintergreen pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Bremner Historic Mining District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bremner-historic-mining-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Kennecott](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennecott) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Little Tom Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-tom-mountain) — Montana, US · Nature Reserve - [Nahatlatch Provincial Park and Protected Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nahatlatch-provincial-park-and-protected-area) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see bog wintergreen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bog-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: [Bog Wintergreen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bog-wintergreen)