# One-flowered Wintergreen (*Moneses uniflora*) One-flowered Wintergreen is a tiny, beautiful flower that blooms in the woods. It has a single white flower that hangs down like a little bell, and its leaves are shiny and green. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Forests ![One-flowered Wintergreen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/PYROLA_UNIFLORA_-_ALINY%C3%80.JPG&width=800) Photo: Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PYROLA_UNIFLORA_-_ALINY%C3%80.JPG) ## Appearance The One-flowered Wintergreen has a single, waxy-white, bell-shaped flower that hangs downwards from a leafless stem. Its shiny, round, dark green leaves grow in a small rosette at the base, making it look unique on the forest floor. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Moneses ## Interesting facts - Its tiny seeds are so light, they can be carried by the wind to new forest spots! - Some people call it 'St. Olaf's Candlestick' because its single flower looks like a tiny lamp! - The plant's scientific name, Moneses, means 'single delight' because of its solitary flower! - This flower's sweet scent helps attract busy bees for pollination! ## Special abilities - **Winter Survivor:** One-flowered Wintergreen has evergreen leaves that stay green all winter, helping it absorb sunlight early in spring. - **Underground Networker:** This plant can spread using creeping underground stems, allowing it to form small colonies in its preferred habitat. - **Fungal Friend:** One-flowered Wintergreen has roots that form a special partnership with fungi, helping it get nutrients from the soil. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 5-10 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** ericoid mycorrhizal fungus (*Rhizoscyphus ericae*) — Forms a vital nutrient exchange partnership. - **Pollinates:** [bumblebee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bumblebee) (*Bombus terrestris*) — Attracts these bees with its sweet nectar. - **Shelter:** Black Spruce (*Picea mariana*) — Thrives in the cool, shaded understory of these trees. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Its leaves may be browsed occasionally by deer. ## 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. - [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. - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't pick the flowers! They are best enjoyed in nature. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify One-flowered 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 One-flowered Wintergreen? 5-15 cm ### How wide does One-flowered Wintergreen spread? 5-10 cm ### How big are the flowers on One-flowered Wintergreen? 1-2 cm ### When does One-flowered Wintergreen bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is One-flowered Wintergreen edible? Yes ### Is One-flowered Wintergreen toxic? None ### What is One-flowered Wintergreen's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chicken Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Little Tom Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-tom-mountain) — Montana, US · Nature Reserve - [Selleck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selleck) — Washington, US · Historic District - [St. Elmo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-elmo) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see One-flowered Wintergreen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/one-flowered-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: [One-flowered Wintergreen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/one-flowered-wintergreen)