Scientific name:
Gaultheria shallon General: Creeping to erect; spreads by layering, suckering and sprouting; height very variable (0.2-5 m tall), with hairy, branched stems.
Leaves: Alternate, evergreen, leathery, thick, shiny, egg-shaped, 5-10 cm long, sharply and finely toothed.
Flowers: White or pinkish, urn-shaped, 7-10 mm long; 5-15 at branch ends, flower stalks bend so that flowers are oriented in one direction.
Fruits: Reddish-blue to dark-purple 'berries' (actually fleshy sepals), 6-10 mm broad, edible.
Ecology: Coniferous forests, rocky bluffs, to the seashore; low to medium elevations.