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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 11, 2008 16:12:33 GMT -6
 Hi Everyone!
Here are two pics of my "Winterberry" (gaultheria procumbens) plant. It is a type of holly.
Some info: A low growing, creeping, evergreen ground cover. Likes a partial shade position. The leaves turn reddish in the fall. the flowers are said to be perfect, pinkish white, borne May-Sept. Fruit is present from July to April of the next year!
I am absolutely in love with this plant! I have a passion for berrying plants. Hope you guys like the peeks....  |
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Dec 11, 2008 17:01:44 GMT -6
those are very nice, looks like they are in a very well lit area, is that a requirement? we don't have good window, or artifical light...are the berries edible, and safe for cats...we do have a curious cat  |
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 11, 2008 17:25:04 GMT -6
Hi Pharmer Phil!
Thanks. Apparently the plant likes part shade - I've just got it on the coffee table to get a clear shot of it.
It's difficult to get a lot of information about this plant online, so I don't know if the plant's berries will be poisonous to your cat!
I'm trying to figure out if the plant can be propagated from the seeds within the berries.....
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 11, 2008 17:46:40 GMT -6
Hi again Pharmer Phil:
I just found out that yes, the berries are very edible! They are used to extract "oil of Wintergreen"! Also to flavor gum and ice cream too! Neat, eh? I cut open one of the berries and took a whiff - sure enough a strong smell of a spearmint like scent flooded my nostrils! Wow - as if I wasn't in love with this plant already!
I am told it will even survive our very cold Winters, and can be planted out in the garden, to show off it's berries all Winter long!
What an awesome plant. Just have to figure out how to propagate it....
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Post by notherdigger on Dec 11, 2008 18:38:16 GMT -6
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Post by Compost Pharmer on Dec 11, 2008 20:33:43 GMT -6
 By the looks of the pics that you have posted, you must have 8 green fingers and 2 green thumbs. They all look so healthy. Thanks for all the pics. 
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 11, 2008 20:57:10 GMT -6
 Thank you notherdigger, for the great information! It was very helpful indeed.
Thank you compost pharmer for the compliments, although I must not take credit for this one! I only bought this plant last night! The credit for it's beauty goes strictly to the greenhouse it came from! I will say, however, that I have excellent taste!  I will show pics of it as it grows, but I understand it's a slow grower. I might go and buy another! One for the garden and one for inside.
I still don't know if it needs pollination to produce the fruits. Or if the seeds within the berries will germinate into new plants too.
All I know is that when I saw it last night, I nearly fainted! I had several to choose from and picked the best one. This is one awesome, ornamental, and useful plant. I really got lucky.  |
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Post by Christy on Dec 15, 2008 8:01:37 GMT -6
beauitful! would make a great bird plant! bet the birds would love the berries. i think hollys are on the bird gardens list.
wonder if the water test would work? were ya put seeds in a glass of water, good ones sink n bad seeds float.
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Post by Tonnymonk on Dec 15, 2008 14:10:33 GMT -6
What a pretty and useful plant! Thanks for sharing!!
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 15, 2008 16:33:49 GMT -6
 I will try that with the seeds Christy - Thanks for the suggestion. I've been drying some of the seeds from within one of the berries, on a small plate. Can't wait to see if they germinate into new plants!
When I got this plant home, I was so in love with it that I went back to the store a few days later and bought another one!!! Unfortunately, the nice big ones were all gone, but they had a few small ones still left.
I will let you guys know how the seed experiment turns out... |
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Post by mommajeane on Dec 15, 2008 20:01:24 GMT -6
That sure is a good looking plant! I want one! I'll have to look around and see if I can find one.
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 15, 2008 22:31:22 GMT -6
Hi mommajeane:
Well of all places, I got mine at the A&P grocery store garden center!!! I've gotten some real healthy and unique plants from them. Once I got a strawberry plant with pink blossoms, and a dwarf cherry tomato plant that was only one foot tall (saved seeds).
Good luck finding Gaultheria Procumbens "winterberry". Let us know if you do...
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Spruance
Peasant
And I will make thee beds of roses, and a thousand fragrant posies.
Posts: 231
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Post by Spruance on Dec 20, 2008 14:10:18 GMT -6
That's a very healthy looking specimen you have there Hollyberry Lady.
I used to have one of these at the bottom of the garden some years ago but it never did very well and eventually died back. We have a neutral ph soil here and I think that the plant prefers an acid soil so I guess that was the reason that it didn't do so well.
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Post by hollyberrylady08 on Dec 20, 2008 18:33:47 GMT -6
  Hi Spuance!
Thank you for the compliment! All these days later, the plant is doing quite well inside. I am just learning about this plant myself, so I couldn't tell you anything about the soil requirements. I am in the process of seeing if the seeds I dried, from within the fruits, will germinate...
FROZEN CHERRY TREE |
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