Description
Pyrola – Shinleaf – Wintergreen –
There are about 35 species of creeping rhizomatous, evergreen perennials in this genus. They occur in woodland, and moorland in the Northern Hemisphere. They are grown for their basal cluster of alternate, simple, usually rounded to ovate, long stalked, mid to dark green leaves, and their upright racemes of cup to bowl shaped usually white, occasionally pink or red flowers, borne in summer. They can be difficult to establish, possibly needing a mycorrhizal association with specific soil dwelling fungi. Grow in a woodland garden or rock garden.
Grow in fertile, acidic, leafy moist but well drained soil in partial or dappled shade. Divide in spring.
Prone to slugs and snails, and rust.
P. rotundifolia – Round-leaves Winter-green – Wild Lily-of-the-Valley – This creeping perennial from Europe and North America grows 8″ tall and 6″ wide. It produces basal cluster of rounded or broadly oval, mid to dark green leaves, 3/4-2 ½” long. In summer, on upright stems it carries loose racemes of up to 20 cup shaped, pure white, rarely pink tinged flowers, to ½” across, with incurving petals.
Zones 5-8
