Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washsington; British Columbia to Washington and Idaho, east across Canada to the Great Lakes region and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Sphagnum bogs and deep coniferous woods.
Flowers: May-June
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)
Creeping, slender-stemmed shrub, the stems with somewhat appressed, brownish-bristly hairs.
Leaves elliptic to obovate, leathery, entire, revolute, 4-10 mm. long, with petioles 1.5-2.5 mm. long, the blades brownish-bristly on the lower surface.
Flowers mostly axillary and single, subtended by two ovate bracts that are longer than the calyx; corolla bell-shaped, deeply 4-lobed; stamens 8, the filaments flattened, the anthers opening by 2 large, lateral pores.
Berry a clear white, 3-5 mm. thick, surrounded by the calyx, juicy, spicy, aromatic.
Publication: Fl. Boston. (ed. 2). 165. 1824.
Vaccinium hispidulum Michx., invalid name
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gaultheria hispidula in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Gaultheria hispidula checklist entry
OregonFlora: Gaultheria hispidula information
E-Flora BC: Gaultheria hispidula atlas page
CalPhotos: Gaultheria hispidula photos
