Mitchella repens
Common name:
Partridgeberry
Twinberry
Pronunciation:
mit-CHEL-luh REE-penz
Family:
Rubiaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Broadleaf evergreen trailing ground cover or subshrub, less than 6 cm high and smooth stem 15-30 cm long and rooting at nodes. Leaves simple, in opposite pairs, obiculate-ovate, small, about 0.5-2 cm long, dark green and shiny above, with a pale yellow mid-rib, and the lower surface often variegated with whitish lines; short petioles. Flowers white, often tinged in purple, in pairs, trumpet-shaped, 0.8-2 cm long. Fruit red berry-like, in pairs, globose, edible, but tasteless, persisting the entire winter, containing up to 8 seeds.
- Partial shade. Needs acidic, moist, humus rich soil.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 2 Large native range, from Nova Scotia to Ontario and Minnesota and south to Texas and Florida. There is a naturally occurring form that produces white berries, it is called Michella repens f. leucocarpa.
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plant habit
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leaves
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fruit and leaves
