# white-veined wintergreen (*Pyrola picta*) White-veined wintergreen is a lovely plant with shiny leaves and small white flowers. It grows close to the ground and loves shady places in the forest. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![white-veined wintergreen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pyrola_picta_8552.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyrola_picta_8552.JPG) ## Appearance The white-veined wintergreen has striking dark green, oval leaves with prominent, contrasting white or pale green veins, making them look almost marbled. Its small, waxy flowers are typically greenish-white to pinkish, nodding from a slender stalk above the foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Pyrola ## Interesting facts - Finding its tiny, bell-shaped flowers hidden on the forest floor is like a treasure hunt! - Its scientific name 'Pyrola' means 'little pear' because its leaves resemble small pear leaves! - Some Native American tribes traditionally used its leaves to make soothing remedies. - Unlike most plants, it happily grows in deep shade, needing very little direct sunlight. ## Special abilities - **Winter Photosynthesis:** White-veined wintergreen has evergreen leaves that can photosynthesize even under snow, allowing it to grow when other plants are dormant. - **Fungal Feast:** White-veined wintergreen can steal nutrients from underground fungi, giving it an extra boost of food to thrive in shady forests. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer may browse its evergreen leaves. - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Bumblebees are key pollinators for its waxy flowers. - **Depends on:** a mycorrhizal fungus (*Tomentella sublilacina*) — The plant relies on fungi for nutrients in low light. ## Traits - [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. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any plants unless an adult says it's safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify white-veined 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 white-veined wintergreen? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on white-veined wintergreen? 0.5-1 cm ### When does white-veined wintergreen bloom? Late spring to summer ### Is white-veined wintergreen edible? No ### Is white-veined wintergreen toxic? None ### What is white-veined wintergreen's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is white-veined wintergreen pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [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 - [Giant Forest Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/giant-forest-lodge-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/giant-forest-village-camp-kaweah-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Munson Valley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/munson-valley-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District [View all places to see white-veined wintergreen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-veined-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: [White-veined Wintergreen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-veined-wintergreen)