Striped Wintergreen

In bloom right now, in my woods. Such a treat to see. Striped Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata). Small, evergreen plants that grow from rhizomes. With the blooms, the Striped Wintergreen is 6 to 10 inches tall. The plant without its flowers is 3 to 5 inches tall.

Those beautiful evergreen leaves are thick, waxy-looking, a blue-green color which becomes darker as the leaves mature. A distinctive central white vein on the larger leaves give the plant a lovely unmistakeable look.

The blooms seem to be looking down, making me think of old fashioned street lamps, lighting the way for all the woodland fairies.

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Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “Striped Wintergreen”

  2. What a great way to describe them! I also have these growing in the woods right next my driveway. They are beautiful little plants. I’ve read they have quite a few medicinal uses if used correctly.

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