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Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - (image 1 of 7)

Taxonomy

Family: Ericaceae

Habitat

Sandy or rocky soil. Black oak savanna. Common on dunes along Lake Michigan.

Associates

On dunes with Andropogon scoparius, Arabis lyrata, Artemesia caudata, Juniperus communis, Juniperus horizontalis, Opuntia humifusia, Prunus pumila

Distribution

Circumboreal; in North America from Labrador west to AK, south to VA, northern IN, IL, NM, and CA.

Morphology

Mat-forming evergreen shrub. Leaves entire, leathery, shiny dark green, oblanceolate to oblong-obovate. Flowers bell-shaped, white to tinged pink, 4-6 mm. Fruit a bright red, dry or mealy, inedible berry

Notes

Flower April to June

Wetland Indicator: Upland

Also known as Kinnikinnick. Endangered in several states and extirpated from OH and PA.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov).
National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA

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