Pyrola asarifolia
Pink Wintergreen has a tall single stock with alternate pink flowers growing along its length. Its leaves are pear-shaped and basel in a rosette, bright green and leathery to look at. The leaves of this plant stay green throughout the winter, hence its name. The flowers are shaped like inverted cups that are nodding, are waxy looking and are light pink to dark purple in colour. Look for this plant in forest settings from sea level up to sub-alpine.
Wintergreen leaves contain acids that are quite effective in treating skin irritations, herbaligists mash the leaves to make a variety of poultices and skin salves used to treat skin issues, and for use in treating insect, spider and snake bites.
Wintergreen plants, both green and pink flowers require a certain fungus in the soil to grow. This is another way for forest floor plants to persist in low light levels. The study of myco-heterotrophy has recently shown the associations between certain fungi that collect mineral nutrients and the roots of plants that exchange excess carbohydrates for these nutrients. Some plants, however, depend on fungi for more than just minerals – they steal carbon that normally is sourced from the air via the sun and photosynthesis in your typical green plant, but they steal it from fungi. Wintergreen plants seem to only require this fungi connection during germination.
The Pink Wintergreen has unusual stamens that release pollen only from a pore at the tip. Only certain bees can collect pollen from these flowers through a technique called buzz pollination. Essentially, a bee grabs hold of a stamen and shakes the pollen out by vibrating its wings and body. Our local Island leaf-cutter bees are good buzz pollinators.