Pyrola asarifolia, commonly known as liverleaf wintergreen,[2] bog wintergreen, alpine wintergreen, pink wintergreen, or pink shinleaf, is a plant species of the genus Pyrola native to North America. It is found in Canada and northern US, primarily in cool, moist environments. It is so named simply because its leaves maintain their green color through winter. It has uses in traditional medicine.[3]

Pyrola asarifolia
Pyrola asarifolia subsp. asarifolia
Secure
Secure (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Pyrola
Species:
P. asarifolia
Binomial name
Pyrola asarifolia
Subspecies

P. asarifolia subsp. asarifolia
P. asarifolia subsp. bracteata

Appearance

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It has circular to heart-shaped leaves which lay close to the ground. It also has a nearly leafless stalk which grows the flowers and reaches up to 40 cm (16 in) tall, from which a raceme of 4-25 pink five-petaled flowers grow.[4]

Habitat and Lifecycle

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Its dust-like seeds are hard to germinate,[5] but may also be propagated through leaves and rhizomes.[3] It survives best in full shade; in soil that is neutral, wet but well-drained, and nutrient-rich; and in a variety of habitats.[4][3] It is an evergreen, glabrous, creeping perennial.[4] When a fire occurrs, its ability to survive varies depending on the fire site: it may depend on whether heat from the fire enters the soil deep enough to kill the rhizomes.[4]

References

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  1. NatureServe (2024). "Pyrola asarifolia". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. NRCS. "Pyrola asarifolia". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Botanikks. "Pyrola Asarifolia - Bog Wintergreen". Utah, USA. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Fire Effects Information System. "Pyrola asarifolia". Utah, USA. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  5. Kruckeberg, Arthur R. (1996). Gardening with native plants of the pacific northwest (2nd ed.). University of Washington Press. p. 209. ISBN 978-0295744155.
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  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Pyrola asarifolia at Wikimedia Commons
  • Jepson Manual Treatment - Pyrola asarifolia