I could be tempted to use this plant just for the fun of saying it’s name – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (ark-toh-STAF-i-los u-VA er-SI) or one of it’s common names, kinnikinnick. It’s like I am Jane Fonda in Dancing with the Wolves.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, commonly known as bearberry, is a low-growing shrub native to North America and Europe. It is prized for its medicinal properties, particularly in treating urinary tract infections. The leaves of this plant contain compounds that have antibacterial and astringent effects, making it a popular choice for natural remedies and other medicinal uses.
The fact is, it is a pretty useful garden plant, too. It is an evergreen shrub and ground cover that is tolerant of poor soils, attracts wildlife, requires no maintenance or fertilizing, and is salt-tolerant—it checks a lot of boxes. It’s great for rock gardens and coastal gardens. The small rose flowers come on early in the summer, and it puts out red berries in autumn.
The red bearberry of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Ericaceae) image by Tim WatersKinnikinnik in the fall with its small leaves turning bronze and red. Kinnikinnik (a common name that is an Algonquin word meaning ‘smoking mixture”), also known as bearberry, is a low-growing shrub native to North America. Its leaves are used in herbal medicine for their astringent properties. Kinnikinnik is also used by English speakers to describe a “smoking mixture” made of dried leaves from this plant that was traditionally but not always mixed with tobacco. Various indigenous groups and native Americans have similar tobacco substitutes that use a variety of woody plants and leaves used for smoking rituals. image from pixadaus
It is an excellent choice for providing winter interest, with tiny leaves that turn bronze in the fall and small bright red berries that last until spring. I’m noting the moss (I think) that is peaking through it in the image above and I wonder if it thrives in the same conditions? I have lots of mossy patches and would love to mix in this ground-trailing shrub to reduce the lawn and introduce more biodiversity.
Not only is this plant a great problem solver in the landscape, but it is a well know culinary and medicinal herb. The berries can be treated like cranberries and used in jams and jellies.
Bearberry plant has white flowers on bright-red stems. This hardy shrub requires minimal pruning and is a wonderful addition to a low-maintenance northern North American landscape. Image by Jörg Hempel.
More ground covers, interesting plants, and garden ideas are needed.
