# pipsissewa (*Chimaphila umbellata*) Pipsissewa is a small, evergreen plant that grows in shady forests. It has pretty, waxy leaves and delicate white flowers that look like tiny bells. It's a special plant that loves cool, moist places! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 13 - **Habitat:** Forests ![pipsissewa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chimaphila2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimaphila2.jpg) ## Appearance The pipsissewa has glossy, dark green leaves arranged in whorls along a reddish stem. Its small, waxy flowers, often pinkish-white, nod downward like tiny bells. These evergreen leaves stand out on the forest floor, especially in winter. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Chimaphila ## Interesting facts - Finding this plant means you are exploring a healthy, magical forest! - Its shiny green leaves stay alive all winter, even under deep snow! - Its tiny flowers dangle upside down, like little pink and white bells! - The name "Pipsissewa" means "breaks into small pieces" in an old Native American language! ## Special abilities - **Evergreen Power:** Pipsissewa has shiny, evergreen leaves that help it make food even in winter when other plants sleep. - **Underground Spreader:** Pipsissewa can grow secret underground stems, called rhizomes, to pop up new plants and spread its patch. - **Water Saver:** Pipsissewa has thick, waxy leaves that help it hold onto precious water in dry forest spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-25 cm - **Spread:** 5-15 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Buzzing bees visit for its sweet nectar. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer might nibble its leaves in winter. - **Shelter:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — Often grows happily beneath tall pine trees. ## 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. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild plants unless a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pipsissewa? 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 pipsissewa? 10-25 cm ### How wide does pipsissewa spread? 5-15 cm ### How big are the flowers on pipsissewa? 1-2 cm ### When does pipsissewa bloom? Summer ### Is pipsissewa edible? Yes ### Is pipsissewa toxic? None ### What is pipsissewa's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord-monument-square-lexington-road-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site - [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/purcell-wilderness-conservancy-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Ross Lake National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ross-lake-national-recreation-area) — Washington, US · National Park [View all places to see pipsissewa](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pipsissewa) ## 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: [Pipsissewa: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pipsissewa)