Gaultheria procumbens

Anyone have any experience growing this as a ground cover?

I have plenty of experience killing it. Most often it dies immediately after planting. Sometimes, it likes to stick around and even flourishes for a season before it dies or diminishes to a wisp. In "Native Plants of the Northeast" by Donald J. Leopold, it states, Perhaps one of the most challenging native groundcovers to cultivate, along with bunchberry, but well worth the effort.

I have given up on this one (but secretly hope my one remaining clump will expand).

Mine are struggling over here. They're still clinging to life but barely and this is their third year in the ground. I keep waiting for them to do something but so far they haven't done much except limp along.

Semper, I've had the same experience here in South Jersey. I've planted it twice and it immediately died both times.

When we were kids, we'd find it in the woods, chew the leaves and do the "teaberry shuffle."

I even managed to kill the plants I bought at the wildflower nursery (any of you in NJ remember Wild Earth?) The plants growing in the woods near my house look pretty scrawny too. They have never flowered or made berries that I have observed and every year they are harder to locate.

This message was edited Sep 6, 2006 11:54 AM

I remember Wild Earth, Sofi. I think I read somewhere that Rich? the owner has a new nursery. Anyone know where?

Fireweed, teaberry shuffle ? from the gum?

I googled Rich and got a phone number and and email but no luck reaching him. I hope he is busy setting up a new nursery. I also found a listing for Rare Find Nursery in Jackson and from the map it looks like it's on the old Wild Earth site, or very close to it. Has anyone been there?

Sofi, I haven't been to RareFind but I mailordered plants from them for the 1st time this year and was very pleased. I bought 2 NewJersey Teas (Ceanothus americanus)and they are doing well and 2 Cliff Green ( Paxistima canbyi ). Both were hard to find locally so I was happy to get them.
Sorry Joepyeweed, I hope someone who has luck with the wintergreen answers.

This message was edited Sep 9, 2006 5:16 AM

Hey Sofi and Semper (my Jersey Girl neighbors!), have either of you gone to Redbud in Glen Mills, PA? I've never been, but I'm thinking about taking a trip over before the cold weather hits and see what's left. I'm planting a wildlife hedgerow and could use a few more shrubs and trees. There are really no native plant nurseries that I'm aware of here in South Jersey, so I'm glad to hear about Rare Find in Jackson. Jackson's about an hour north of me, so I may take a trip up there as well.

Any other nurseries suggestions?

I recently came across this in Medford http://www.awildbirdoasis.com/index.asp

I thought I found somewhere on their site that they don't have the native plants at their walk-in store. But I can't locate that statement now. I've been searching a lot so maybe I'm mixing it up with another site I was reading. I tried calling because I want to know if the plants are on site or not, and if not, what area of the country they come from. They seem to list just about everything in bushes for internet ordering.

The call was answered by a message machine giving hours of operation, and you are invited to leave a message. I may make a run there on Sunday because it's close. As a neophyte, I want to plant my eyes on the plants I get and have someone knowledgeable who will tell me exactly how to plant it.

You may want to check Rarefind stock on line before you travel that far. I think it's been about two weeks since I looked. The ones I looked for were not in stock.

I foiund this site too for NJ http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/njriparianforestbuffers/sources.htm

You can try Fairweather Gardens, Greenwich NJ, mostly mail order- only open to the public a few times a year (I missed it this year, I've never ordered from them -not all native but comes highly recommended ). RareFind just had a big sale at the nursery, ask to get their newsletter. I have heard of Redbud but never been, tell us about it if you go.. Thanks notgrnjean for the Medford link. There is also Toadshade Wildflower Farm in Frenchtown.

Don't waste your time with Wild Bird Oasis. I took an afternoon off work and drove out to Medford, only to find a bird feeder store. It was a very nice bird feeder store, but not what I was looking for. I asked one guy (who appeared to be the owner) if they had any native plants on the premises. He told me they had nothing in the store and were getting out of the native plants business.

I guess it's kind of late in the season to expect much from nurseries. I might call Redbud and see what they have in stock before I make the trek. I've got my heart set on a Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda dogwood) and an Amelanchier (Serviceberry) of some sort, and I'd like to get them in the ground before winter hits. Like you, Jeanne, I like to see the "stuff" and talk with someone more knowledgable then I.

I've heard Toadshade is a good mail order nursery.

Sherry

Oh, Jeanne, just checked out the link you sent. Nice list of natives nurseries! Thanks.

One more that I want to visit is Bowmans Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope PA. They are having their semiannual plant sale next weekend (9/16 & 17).

Sofi, thanks for the heads-up on Bowman's. I may have to take a trip over there myself.

Thanks for saving me a trip to Medford, Fireweed. I had more time for pulling vinca! Please let us know what you think of Redbud if you go.

Just in case I make it to Bowman's, do any of you have any suggestions for what I should or shouldn't get at this time of year? For example, is it too late to plant a bit of groundcover? Or a couple of Euonymous americana? or maybe even one dogwood?

I got four wintergreen plants this April. They are spreading slowly already and they flowered and are producing berries now. They are growing next to a Pinus rigida. Pine needles are the key!

PS
Bluestone perennials was the source.

This message was edited Sep 12, 2006 3:05 PM

They need Ectomycorrhizzae, usually associated with conifers. They form a net over the roots, which lack root hairs. Gaultheria procumbens is the most practical of the Wintergreens. I have read that the fungi with the larger bodies (mushrooms, ears, puffballs) fall into the class of Ectos.
Larry