Eastern Teaberry
| Eastern Teaberry | ||||||||||||||
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| Gaultheria procumbens L. |
Eastern Teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), also known as Checkerberry, Boxberry and American Wintergreen, is a small shrub native to northeastern North America. It is low-growing, typically reaching 10–15 cm tall. The leaves are evergreen, elliptic to ovate, 2–5 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, with a distinct oil of wintergreen scent. The flowers are bell-shaped, 6–8 mm long, white, borne solitary or in short racemes. The fruit is an edible red berry 8–15 mm diameter.
While most people, even those living in the mid-Atlantic United States, have never tasted an actual teaberry, somewhat more have tried Clark's Teaberry chewing gum, which is faithful to the taste of the berry.