Gaultheria humifusa

Alpine wintergreen, Alpine Wintergreen

Family: Ericaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Alpine wintergreen is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada in wet subalpine forests at elevations of 1,350 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pink-tinged bell-shaped flowers nestled individually in leaf axils. Growing low to the ground with stems less than 20 centimeters tall, it spreads in compact clusters with glabrous to slightly hairy branches. Its small leaves measure 0.5 to 3 centimeters long, with rounded edges and a delicate, nearly entire margin. The plant develops bright red fruits that contrast beautifully with its green foliage, creating a striking appearance in alpine and subalpine environments.

Habitat: Wet subalpine forests

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 1350-4000 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, SNH

California counties: Tuolumne, Fresno, Tulare, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Mono, El Dorado, Madera, Inyo, Tehama, Trinity

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.