Pyrola minor
L.
Ericaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Wintergreen
General Information
Pyrola minor is a Evergreen Perennial up to 0.08 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, N. Asia to Japan. North N. America
Habitat
Coniferous woods, moors, damp rock ledges and dunes, on acid and calcareous soils in full sun or deep shade[
5- Title
- Food for Free.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mabey. R.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-00-219060-5
- Description
- Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating |  |
Medicinal Rating |  |
Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
Height | 0.08 m |
Pollinators | Bees, Flies, Self |
Self-fertile | Yes |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a moist sandy woodland soil[
111- Title
- Popular Hardy Perennials.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sanders. T. W.
- Publisher
- Collingridge
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
] in a cool position with partial shade[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
This is a very ornamental[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
] but difficult plant to grow. It requires a mycorrhizal relationship in the soil and therefore needs to be grown initially in soil collected from around an established plant[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. It is also very difficult from seed as well as being intolerant of root disturbance which makes division difficult[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
The flowers have a soft almond scent[
245- Title
- Scented Flora of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Genders. R.
- Publisher
- Robert Hale. London.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 0-7090-5440-8
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit[
5- Title
- Food for Free.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mabey. R.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-00-219060-5
- Description
- Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
]. No more details are given.
Leaves - raw[
5- Title
- Food for Free.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mabey. R.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-00-219060-5
- Description
- Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
52- Title
- Salads all the Year Round.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Larkcom. J.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1980
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.
].
Medicinal
The plant is antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic and tonic[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - the only information we have on this species is that it is difficult from seed and germinates infrequently[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. We would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Sow it into soil collected from around an established plant, only just covering the seed, and put the pot in a shady part of a cold frame. Pot up any young seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle, once again using soil from around an established plant. Plant out into their permanent positions when the plants are large enough. You should not need to use soil from around an established plant to do this since the soil in the pot will contain the necessary micorrhiza.
Division with great care in the spring[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
111- Title
- Popular Hardy Perennials.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sanders. T. W.
- Publisher
- Collingridge
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
]. Pot up the divisions using some soil from around an established plant, grow on in a lightly shaded part of a greenhouse or frame and do not plant out until the plants are growing away vigorously[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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