Epigaea repens: Uses (Ethnobotany)
The Algonquin used an infusion of the leaves for kidney disorders. The Cherokee took a decoction of the plant for abdominal pains. The Iroquois treated rheumatism with a compound decoction of the plant.
Plant Profile: Epigaea repens
Taxonomy: Epigaea repensNames
Mayflower, Plymouth Mayflower, Trailing Arbutus
Phonetic Spelling:ep-ih-JEE-ah REH-penz
Genus:Epigaea
Species:repens
Family:Ericaceae
Trailing Arbutus, a native sub-shrub belonging to the Heath Family, thrives as an evergreen mat in sandy to peaty woodlands and clearings. This plant flourishes best in partial shade, preferring dry to moist, acidic soils that are sandy to rocky and contain moderate organic matter. In early spring, it produces clusters of delicate, fragrant flowers that range in color from pink to white. Unfortunately, it is becoming endangered in several states.
The roots of Trailing Arbutus are fragile, making it challenging to cultivate and sustain. It is highly sensitive to disturbances and struggles to survive during periods of drought or flooding. Even under optimal conditions, its growth rate is slow. Therefore, attempting to transplant it from its natural habitat is generally inadvisable, as it is likely to perish. For seeds to germinate, the conditions must be ideal, and the process can be quite slow.
Commonly referred to as the Plymouth Mayflower, this plant is believed to be the first flower that the settlers encountered blooming in the spring following their harsh first winter.
Epigaea repens Feature Summary
Tags
#evergreen
#fragrant flowers
#slow growing
#fragrant leaves
#NC native
#spreading
#delicate
#groundcover
#larval host plant
#food source spring
#food source herbage
#food source soft mast fruit
#butterfly friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#bee friendly
#audubon
#woodlands
Similar Plants
Epigaea repens Feature Summary
Attributes
The Algonquin used an infusion of the leaves for kidney disorders. The Cherokee took a decoction of the plant for abdominal pains. The Iroquois treated rheumatism with a compound decoction of the plant.
Central & E. Canada to N. Central & E. U.S.A
USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
Host plant to Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polia) butterfly. Birds will eat the seeds.
Flowers are edible but the plant is protected in some states and they should not be picked.
Perennial
Seed
Stem Cutting
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Fruit
Whitish berry, resembling a raspberry in appearance. displays from April to June.
Berry
White
Spring
Flowers
Clusters of 1/2 inch fragrant, tubular, five-petaled, white to pink flowers bloom from February to May.
Pink
White
Fragrant
Spring
4-5 petals/rays
Tubular
< 1 inch
Leaves
2- 4inch long and 1-2 inch wide bright green leathery oval leaves. The base of the leaf may be rounded or heart-shaped. The leaf edges have stiff, rusty-colored hairs. The margins are smooth and may be wavy.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Gray/Silver
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Entire
Undulate
3-6 inches
Leathery
Fragrant
1-3 inches
Stem
Woody, trailing, hairy stems.
Brown/Copper
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Ground Cover
Broadleaf Evergreen
Spreading
Horizontal
Slow
Medium
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
2a
2b
3a
3b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Epigaea repens Image Gallery
Epigaea repens Attributes
Epigaea repens: Country Or Region Of Origin
Central & E. Canada to N. Central & E. U.S.A
Epigaea repens: Distribution
USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
Epigaea repens: Wildlife Value
Host plant to Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polia) butterfly. Birds will eat the seeds.
Epigaea repens: Edibility
Flowers are edible but the plant is protected in some states and they should not be picked.
Epigaea repens: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Epigaea repens: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Epigaea repens: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Epigaea repens Fruit
Epigaea repens: Fruit Description
Whitish berry, resembling a raspberry in appearance. displays from April to June.
Epigaea repens: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Epigaea repens: Fruit Color
White
Epigaea repens: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Epigaea repens Flowers
Epigaea repens: Flower Description
Clusters of 1/2 inch fragrant, tubular, five-petaled, white to pink flowers bloom from February to May.
Epigaea repens: Flower Color
Pink
White
Epigaea repens: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Epigaea repens: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Epigaea repens: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Epigaea repens: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Epigaea repens: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Epigaea repens: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Epigaea repens Leaves
Epigaea repens: Leaf Description
2- 4inch long and 1-2 inch wide bright green leathery oval leaves. The base of the leaf may be rounded or heart-shaped. The leaf edges have stiff, rusty-colored hairs. The margins are smooth and may be wavy.
Epigaea repens: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Epigaea repens: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Epigaea repens: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Epigaea repens: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Epigaea repens: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Epigaea repens: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Epigaea repens: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Epigaea repens: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Epigaea repens: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Epigaea repens: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Epigaea repens: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Epigaea repens Stem
Epigaea repens: Stem Description
Woody, trailing, hairy stems.
Epigaea repens: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Epigaea repens: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Epigaea repens: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Epigaea repens Whole Plant Traits
Epigaea repens: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Epigaea repens: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Epigaea repens: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Epigaea repens: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Epigaea repens: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Epigaea repens: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Epigaea repens Cultural Conditions
Epigaea repens: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Epigaea repens: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Epigaea repens: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Epigaea repens: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Epigaea repens: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Epigaea repens: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Epigaea repens: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Epigaea repens Landscape
Epigaea repens: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Epigaea repens: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Epigaea repens: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
