Chimaphila japonica – Prince’s Pine –

Description

Chimaphila – Prince’s Pine –

There area bout 6 species of evergreen, creeping perennials, in this genus. They occur in cool temperate woodland in Europe, Asia and North America. They have slender, upright stems, and produce opposite or whorls of leathery leaves and nodding, white to pink flowers in terminal corymbs or umbels. They grow best in cool climates, and are ideal for a woodland garden or for shaded areas in a rock garden.

Grow in moist but well drained, humus rich, acidic soil, enriched with leaf mold, in a cool site in partial or dappled shade. Not easy to establish.

Prone to slugs and snails.

C. japonica – This evergreen perennial from Eastern Asia grows 4″ tall with an indefinite spread. It has upright, unbranched stems that carry opposite or whorled, broadly lance shaped, hairless, slightly toothed, dark green leaves, to 1 ½” long, with white midribs. In summer it bears upright umbels of 1 or 2 white flowers, to 1″ across.

Zones 5-9