Winter Fiesta Wintergreen

Winter Fiesta Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens 'Winter Fiesta') is a low-growing, evergreen perennial that dazzles throughout the year and provides greenery and colorful berries in a winter landscape. Small, dark green, lanceolate leaves form a dense mat that is 4-6 inches tall and 24-30 inches wide. In summer, its white flowers produce white berries that turn cotton candy pink with the arrival of cold temperatures. Winter Fiesta Wintergreen is an excellent choice as a low-growing border plant, as a filler plant beneath trees, or in containers as a spiller to add a pop of color. 

This deer-resistant groundcover is low maintenance. Winter Fiesta Wintergreen is a part-shade to full-sun perennial and requires regular watering but grows well in lower light areas, providing color where many other plants cannot. Wintergreen is a native plant to North America, allowing it to grow easily in a variety of climates. 

Winter Fiesta Wintergreen Care

Winter Fiesta Wintergreen grows best in well-draining, slightly acidic, moist soil. To plant it, dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball and amend the soil as necessary. Water Wintergreen regularly, especially in sunnier and warmer spots, to maintain consistently moist but not soggy soil conditions. In hotter, drier regions, provide filtered sunlight and afternoon shade. Winter Fiesta Wintergreen benefits from yearly feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied in the spring.

As Wintergreen is slower growing and typically planted in shaded spots, little pruning is necessary. Winter Fiesta Wintergreen grows well in containers and is often used as a spiller plant where it can trail over the sides of containers and along garden borders. Simply trimming Wintergreen when it is too long is enough to keep its shape. 

Winter Fiesta Wintergreen Spacing

Winter Fiesta Wintergreen should be planted 24 inches away from other plants and structures. Because Wintergreen is slower growing, you can space individual plants closer together to create a dense mat more quickly.