Kinnikinnick/Bearberry, Massachusetts

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'

Native. Zone 2-6. Full Sun-P.Shade. Perennial.

A hardy, slow growing, evergreen ground cover/ground shrub native to many regions of North America. Produces attractive glossy green leaves and pink bell-shaped flowers appearing from June – September, giving way to bright red berries. Thrives in damp, acidic soil, making a nice ground cover. Grows in acidic, well-drained, gritty soils, in full sun to light shade. A moderate ground cover with year-round interest. Helps control soil erosion on slopes and hillsides. Effective grown around shrubs, along sunny border margins, in naturalized areas and in native plant gardens. Great for herb gardens and rock gardens. Kinnikinnick, an Algonquin word for smoking mixture, and the dried leaves were smoked by Native Americans and later pioneers in pipes. Still used a medicinally to treat a number of ailments.