woodland shrub

Salal

Gaultheria shallon

Native to California, Oregon, and Washington and southern Canada

Coastal areas from Santa Barbara county, California to British Columbia

Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry to wet Moisture preference
Zones 5–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom Apr–Jul Flowering time
Height up to 6 ft to 1.8 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

In the garden

A woodland shrub for sun through shade and consistently moist to wet soil. Its white and pink flowers peak in May. At up to 6 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. It spreads readily, so give it room or a contained spot. Hardy in USDA zones 5–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Salal's white and pink flowers bloom April to July, peaking in May. This late-spring display draws bees and wasps.

Salal blooms white & pinkFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee +5 more
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Sitka Bumble Bee, Fog-belt Bumble Bee, Common Carder Bumble Bee, Bombus vancouverensis vancouverensis
Wasps Common Aerial Yellowjacket
Moths Silver-spotted Tiger Moth
Also visited by
- Butterflies: Pale Swallowtail

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Pale swallowtailnectar

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: California, Oregon, and Washington and southern CanadaUnited States (3): CA, OR, WA. Canada (1): BC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Coastal areas from Santa Barbara county, California to British ColumbiaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: Dry to wetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 5–10 · Canadian 3–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist, peaty soilThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 5.5–7.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: HighHow 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: NoneHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 6 ft (to 1.8 m)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: RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts 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: Apr–JulWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jun–SepThe 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, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~5 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: RapidHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: RapidWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.