Chimaphila maculata
During the winter months in the northern hemisphere, there is still plenty to see while you wander in the woods. There are many beautiful plants amongst the decay of late fall. Spotted Wintergreen is one of the most beautiful. It can be seen almost floating above the fallen leaves as you walk along, then look closer at the beautiful striped leaves hugging the ground.
Depending on the time of year that you see them, the plant could be in various stages of growth. You could see the ground leaves beginning to push up the flower stem, or maybe flower bulbs ready to open, or just seeds left ready to fall. I find them just as beautiful in all their stages.
Spotted Wintergreen blooms in summer, usually sometime from June through August. Spotted Wintergreen’s primary pollinators are Bumble Bees, but Honey Bees may also visit the flowers in search of nectar. If the bees help spotted Wintergreen successfully achieve pollination, the resulting fruit is visible throughout the winter.
Spotted Wintergreen is known by many other names, including striped Wintergreen, Pipsissewa, and Rheumatism Root. Some of these names refer to the medicinal uses of this plant. Spotted Wintergreen contains chemical compounds with antiseptic, antibacterial, and astringent properties, among others.
One of the compounds, ursolic acid, is effective in treating arthritis and other causes of pain and inflammation. Spotted Wintergreen has been used to treat urinary tract infections and kidney stones. The name Pipsissewa is derived from a Creek Native American word that means ‘to break into small pieces’, referring to stones in the urinary tract. A drink was made from steeping the leaves in water; drinking this worked on breaking up stones.
I live in Sayward on Vancouver Island, and these little jewels are quite common here, but always a joy to see. When I am hiking the trails in winter and there is a small amount of snow on the ground. I keep my eyes open for the bright green leaves with the white stripes sticking out of the snow. It is such a wonder to see in these conditions.