Pyrola crypta
Cryptic wintergreen, Cryptic Wintergreen
(c) Asher Budnik, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Pyrola crypta (Cryptic wintergreen) is a native California perennial in the Ericaceae family, recognized by white-mottled veins and granite habitat diagnostic.
Cryptic wintergreen is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and Cascade Range in moist to dry mixed conifer forests at elevations of 500 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white flowers with distinctive bilateral symmetry in clusters of 7 to 16 blossoms. Growing with delicate stems 7 to 14 centimeters tall, it emerges from an understated base with scattered scale-like leaves. Its leaves are dark green, 5 to 8 centimeters long, with intriguing white mottling along the veins and an obovate to elliptic shape. The plant's petals are gracefully shaped, measuring 5.3 to 6.5 millimeters long, with small lanceolate sepals that curve slightly at the tips.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; white-mottled veins and granite habitat diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Moist to dry mixed conifer forests, often with granite
Elevation: 500-1900 m
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Pyrola crypta blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Pterospora: Pyrola has green basal leaves; Pterospora is completely leafless and brownish-pink without chlorophyll.; vs Corallorhiza: Pyrola has basal leaves and radially symmetrical flowers; Corallorhiza is leafless with bilateral orchid flowers.; vs Chimaphila: Pyrola leaves are all basal in a rosette; Chimaphila has thick leaves scattered up the stem.; vs Goodyera: Pyrola flowers are radially symmetrical and arranged all around stem; Goodyera has spiral orchid flowers.; vs Orthilia: Pyrola flowers arranged evenly around stem; Orthilia flowers distinctly one-sided along the stalk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pyrola crypta native to California?
Yes. Pyrola crypta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pyrola crypta bloom?
Pyrola crypta blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Pyrola crypta belong to?
Pyrola crypta is in the Ericaceae family, genus Pyrola.
What habitat does Pyrola crypta grow in?
Pyrola crypta grows in Uncommon. Moist to dry mixed conifer forests, often with granite.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.