Orthilia secunda
One-sided wintergreen, One-Sided Wintergreen
(c) Christian Berg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christian Berg · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Orthilia secunda (One-sided wintergreen) is a native California subshrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by Southern range edge of a circumboreal genus, unique floral arrangement.
One-sided wintergreen is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, southern Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and Modoc Plateau in dry, shady conifer forests at elevations of 1,000 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces cream-white flowers in one-sided, arched racemes that remain nearly upright when fruiting. Growing with slender rhizomatous stems less than 20 centimeters tall, it forms a compact, evergreen herb with a somewhat shrubby appearance. Its leathery leaves are ovate-elliptic, 1.5 to 6 centimeters long, clustered near the base of the plant and ranging from entire to finely toothed. The pendant capsule fruits open from base to tip with fibrous margins, revealing the plant's distinctive reproductive strategy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Southern range edge of a circumboreal genus, unique floral arrangement
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, shady, conifer forests
Elevation: 1000-3200 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Plumas, Sierra, Fresno, Mono, Siskiyou, Tulare, Alpine, Trinity, Humboldt, Nevada, Butte, Riverside, El Dorado, Madera, Tehama, Inyo, Modoc, Shasta, Amador, Del Norte, Mariposa, Placer, San Bernardino, Glenn, Mendocino
Outside California: circumboreal, subarctic, North America, Central America, Eurasia
Bloom period
Orthilia secunda blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Pyrola: Orthilia flowers line one side of curved stalk; Pyrola flowers spiral around straight stalk.; vs Chimaphila: Orthilia flowers on one-sided curved stalk; Chimaphila flowers in flat-topped cluster with whorled stem leaves.; vs Moneses: Orthilia has many flowers on curved one-sided stalk; Moneses has single flower per stem.
Frequently asked questions
Is Orthilia secunda native to California?
Yes. Orthilia secunda is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Orthilia secunda bloom?
Orthilia secunda blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Orthilia secunda grow?
Orthilia secunda occurs in Tuolumne, Plumas, Sierra, Fresno, Mono, Siskiyou, Tulare, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 1000-3200 m.
What plant family does Orthilia secunda belong to?
Orthilia secunda is in the Ericaceae family, genus Orthilia.
What habitat does Orthilia secunda grow in?
Orthilia secunda grows in Dry, shady, conifer forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.