Bearberry Plant Info Learn About Growing Bearberry Ground Cover

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a low-growing ground cover that usually tops out between 6 and 12 inches (15-30 cm.). The flexible stems sport teardrop-shaped, leathery leaves in dark green. You'll find a small amount of white or pale pink waxy flowers between March and June.

Where does bearberry grow?

Bearberry's native range is from Labrador to Alaska, south to Virginia, Illinois, Nebraska, and in the mountains from New Mexico north through California to Alaska. This long-lived, low growing shrub is very cold tolerant.

Is the bearberry poisonous?

Is bearberry a poisonous plant? No, bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is Not a toxic plant when taken in recommended doses. However, it contains hydroquinone, a principle toxic to the liver. In natural medicine the leaves are used.

What does the bearberry plant look like?

The leaves of the bearberry are one-half to one inch long and one-quarter to one-half inch wide, turning bronze in the fall. Flowers are small and bell-shaped in white or pink, appearing in clusters in April or May. Flowers are followed by quarter-inch red berry-like fruit that lasts from fall until the next spring.

Is bearberry an evergreen?

Bearberry is a broadleaf evergreen ground cover that produces white to pinkish-white flowers and red fruit. It provides multi-season interest in the landscape.

What animal eats bearberry?

Many migratory birds and mammals also rely on bearberries as food like songbirds, gamebirds, five species of grouse and Wild Turkey and mammals such as polar bears.

What does the bearberry need to survive?

Bearberry is commonly found in dry, non-nutrient soils such as sand, soils on rock outcrops and shallow soils. ... Since bearberry is a low growing plant it can stay out of the wind chill. It's fine silky hairs also help to keep it warm. Leathery leaves are also an adaptation to the cold of the tundra.

What is bearberry leaf used for?

The HMPC concluded that, on the basis of its long-standing use, these bearberry leaf preparations can be used for relief of symptoms of mild, recurrent infections in the lower urinary tract (the structure that carries urine), such as a burning sensation when passing urine and/or frequently passing urine.

Can humans eat Bearberries?

The name "bearberry" for the plant derives from the edible fruit which is a favorite food of bears. The fruit are edible and are sometimes gathered as food for humans. The leaves of the plant are used in herbal medicine. Alpine bearberry: Arctostaphylos alpina (L.)

How fast does bearberry grow?

It thrives on soil poor in nutrients and sandy soil that has a hard time supporting other ground covers. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, in spots where it will have space to spread. While bearberry is slow to grow in the first year, it will spread rapidly once established to create mats that fill a lot of space.

Is Barberry the same as bearberry?

is that barberry is any of the thorny shrubs of genus berberis , which bear yellow flowers and red or blue-black berries while bearberry is any of three dwarf shrubs of the genus arctostaphylos , which principally grow in arctic and subarctic regions and bear edible berries.

What is bearberry extract?

Bearberry extract is made from the leaves of the bearberry plant. It is commonly used as an astringent in cosmetic preparations and skin care products. It is also used as a lightening agent to fade freckles or skin discoloration which may be caused by sun damage or hormonal conditions.

What plants are in the tundra?

Some plants that grow in the tundra include short shrubs, sedges, grasses, flowers, birch trees and willow trees. Cushion plants, which, also grow in the tundra, are types of plants that grow low to the ground in tight places. They are called cushion plants because they are soft and cushiony.

Is kinnikinnick an evergreen?

Common Name: Kinnikinnick, Manzanita

This slow-growing ground cover is one of the best all-around native evergreen shrubs. ... They grow in a tree-like form and will spread roots anywhere the branches touch the ground (usually up to 15 feet).

Is Wintergreen plant deer resistant?

A large percentage of the most deer-resistant ground covers are highly invasive species, but here is a short list of those that can be used responsibly in the landscape. Eastern teaberry, also called wintergreen, is native to cold-weather climates of the eastern U.S., where it forms extensive mats in the forest.

How do you propagate kinnikinnick?

The surest means of propagation is by treated cuttings rooted in sand or layering. Seed Collection: The outer fleshy part of the fruit may be removed by macerating the fruits with water and separating the nutlets by flotation or air-screening. Seed Treatment: Remove seed from pulp. Plant outside in fall, 3/4" deep.

What does kinnikinnick look like?

This mat-forming shrub has woody reddish-brown branches, 6 to 8 inches tall. Its pinkish clusters of hanging bell-shaped flowers appear from March to June. The eye-catching red berries hang on and on, from July to February.

What does kinnikinnick mean?

1 : a mixture of dried leaves and bark and sometimes tobacco smoked by the Indians and pioneers especially in the Ohio valley.

What is kinnikinnick used for?

Kinnikinnick has historically been used for medicinal purposes. It contains the glycoside arbutin, which has antimicrobial properties and acts as a mild diuretic. It has been used for urinary tract complaints, including cystitis and urolithiasis.

How does the Diamond Leaf survive in the tundra?

This plant, like many plants in the tundra grows close to the ground, so that it can use the soil's heat to keep warm. The fine hairs on the leaves are another adaptation to the freezing temperatures. These act as little overcoats, which trap moisture and heat, keeping the leaves sealed and warm.

How has moss adapted to the tundra?

It is adapted to the incredibly strong winds because it grows near to the ground. Because it can grow under water it is protected from the drying winds and cold, dry air of the frozen tundra. Its long life and slow growth are probably adaptations to the short growing season and the cold.

How does the pasque flower adapt to its environment?

The Pasque flower, like all tundra plants, grows low to the ground to keep out of the cold climate. It is also covered in fine silky hairs, which help insulate it. The Pasque flower is useful to treat eye diseases like cataracts, which is opacity on the lens of the eye, which can cause partial or complete blindness.