woodland shrub

Eastern Teaberry

Gaultheria procumbens

Native to much of the USA and southern Canada

Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to New England, Georgia and Alabama mountains, Wisconsin and Minnesota

Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–8 Cold to heat range
Bloom Jun–Aug Flowering time
Height up to 6 in to 15 cm
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

In the garden

A woodland shrub for part to full shade and dry to moist soil. Its white and pink flowers peak in July. At up to 6 in, it tucks into shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 2–8.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Eastern Teaberry's white and pink flowers bloom June to August, peaking in July. This midsummer display draws bees and butterflies.

Eastern Teaberry blooms white & pinkFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Two-spotted Bumble Bee

also Tricolored Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee +2 more
Western Bumble Bee, Lucorum-group Bumble Bees
Butterflies Sleepy Duskywing

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (26): AL, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV. Canada (6): NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, QC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to New England, Georgia and Alabama mountains, Wisconsin and MinnesotaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–8 · Canadian 2–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Very variableThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 4.0–6.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: LowHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: LowHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 6 in (to 15 cm)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~3 ft (1 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ProstrateIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Jun–AugWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–DecThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~4 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: ModerateWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.