Gaultheria pyroliifolia
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full shade
- Frost limit
- −23.3 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a moist but not boggy humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has been confused in the past with G. pyroloides, a distinct species from Japan.
Propagation
The seed requires a period of cold stratification. Pre-chill for 4 - 10 weeks and then surface sow in a lime-free compost in a shady part of the greenhouse and keep the compost moist. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 3 - 6cm long, July/August in a frame in a shady position. They form roots in late summer or spring. A good percentage usually take. Division in spring just before new growth begins. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter.
Habitat
Alpine windswept moorlands, thickets and grasslands at elevations of 3600 - 4000 metres.
Native range
E. Asia - eastern Himalayas in Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, India ad China.