| PSC 2620: Woody Trees and Shrub | Course Home | Week 11 |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry or Kinnikinick
Plant Viewer
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| The leaves of Bearberry are small, only 1/4 - 1 1/4 inch long and obovate in shape with an entire margin. They are rich dark green color. | The flowers are white with pink highlights and hang in small racemes. |
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| Small red fruit forms by the end of summer. |
Plant Description
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, or Bearberry or Kinnikinick, is a low growing evergreen shrub. It grows no higher than 12 inches, and usually much lower to the ground. It can spread upwards of ten feet, though it will take a long time to get there. It is very cold hardy and very tolerant of poor soil and dry conditions. Once it is established do not disturb its roots.
The small leaf is 1/4 inch to 1 1/4 inches long, glabrous and obovate in shape. The leaves are an attractive dark and rich green color on the top of the leaf and a lighter and duller green beneath. They are arranged alternately on the stem. In fall the leaves can turn a bronze color, though I have rarely seen them do so in our climate.
In the spring, clusters of small white flowers with pink highlights form in small hanging racemes. The flowers have an interesting urn shape, but they are usually lost in the foliage. By the end of summer, 1/4 inch diameter red fruit forms on the bush. The fruits are not as showy as Cotoneaster apiculatus, but provide decent fall and winter interest.
Points of interest
Bearberry should be kept out of full sun in our climates to prevent leaf scorch or leaf spot. It is particularly difficult to transplant, but worth the effort once established.
Landscape Use
It is an excellent choice for a groundcover, creating an attractive and dense low green carpet. It will trail gracefully over walls or rocks. It is tolerant of salt, making it a suitable location for placing next to walks or roads. I have not seen it regularly used in parking lot islands, but suspect that it would perform well in that location.
Notable Cultivars
Massachusetts One of the most readily available commercial cultivars, Massachusetts has smaller and darker leaves than the regular variety.
