Gaultheria procumbens Color Surprise - American Wintergreen

The Gaultheria procumbens Color Surprise is a variety of prostrate Gaultheria selected for its winter tricolour fruiting, white, pink and red, which is particularly decorative. It is a small, prostrate bush with very dark evergreen foliage, used in heather beds or acidic soils, but also to create decorative pots in winter.

The Gaultheria Color Surprise 'Slagmoer18' is a recent horticultural selection dating back to 2018. Native to North America, its ancestor Gaultheria procumbens is common in the acidic undergrowth of large coniferous and deciduous forests in Canada. Perfectly hardy, resistant to drought once established, this species does not tolerate limestone. 'Color Surprise' is distinguished mainly by its fruits of variable colour and slightly larger size. The slow-growing bush remains very small, not exceeding 20 cm (7.9 in) in height and 30-40 cm (11.8-15.7 in) in width. A slightly trailing underground stem produces new small bushes over time, slowly colonizing the soil in the free spaces between stones or other plants. The dense foliage is composed of very small, leathery and glossy dark green leaves that turn purple in autumn as temperatures drop. Flowering takes place in summer, from July to August. It takes the form of small, waxy white bell-shaped flowers that appear in the axils of the leaves. Pollinated by insects, they then produce round and shiny berries that change from white to pink and then to bright red. All three colours are present on the plant at the same time. This fruiting is sought after by some birds.

The Gaultheria procumbens Color Surprise is perfect for filling your heather beds as a ground cover at the base of your heathers, azaleas, camellias, Pieris, or hydrangeas, for example. Its evergreen foliage and small, colourful bell-like berries fill the empty spaces left by other plants during winter.

Be careful not to let children play with its attractive berries because, even though they have therapeutic benefits, an improper dosage of medicinal plants can be toxic.