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Shinleaf Wikimedia Commons
Ericaceae

Shinleaf

Pyrola rotundifolia

Hidden woodland beauty.

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Pyrola
Native to
Europe, Northern Asia, North America
Bloom season
Summer
Type
perennial
Height
6-12 in
Sunlight
partial shade to full shade
Soil
moist, acidic, humus-rich
Water
moderate
Hardiness
3-7
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The common name 'shinleaf' comes from the historical practice of applying the leaves as a poultice to sore shins and bruises.
  • It partially relies on mycorrhizal fungi in the soil for nutrition, forming a symbiotic relationship essential for its survival.
  • The round, leathery evergreen leaves remain green through winter, providing a touch of green on the forest floor.
  • Its nodding, bell-shaped flowers have a distinctive curved style that protrudes below the petals like a tiny elephant trunk.
  • Pyrola is related to the iconic Indian pipe (Monotropa), which took the fungal dependency even further and lost all chlorophyll.

Color meanings

0

modesty

1

woodland peace

2

hidden beauty

Uses

  • woodland gardens
  • shade gardens
  • traditional herbal medicine
  • native plant conservation