Gaultheria x wisleyensis
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full shade
- Frost limit
- −23.3 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a cool moist but not boggy humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade. This species has not as yet got a valid name, having recently been moved from the genus Gaulnettya. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
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. This is a hybrid species and will not breed true. 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 when new growth is about 7cm tall. 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. Not much flavour but reasonably palatable[K].
Material uses
A good ground cover for shady situations.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Native range
A hybrid of garden origin, Gaultheria shallon x G. mucronata.