I am interested in obtaining plants, rhizomes and/or propagation information for Pipsissewa, Chimaphila umbellata, or Spotted Pipsissewa,Chimaphila maculata.
Pipsissewa
I guess folks transplant that to their property. I have only seen it growing in the woods. One summer I served as a camp counselor and that plant grew in the woods on the camp property. We always had lessons and such during the week the children/youth were there on plant identification.
Gary/Louisville
Pipsissiwa
Name: Chima, from the Greek, "winter"; phila, from the Greek "lover". Hence, "winter lover", an appropriate name for a circumboreal genus of cold climate evergreen shrublets.
umbellata, from the Latin, "umbrella, lit. little shadows", a reference to the flower cluster
Pipsissiwa, from the Cree pipsisikweu, "it breaks into small pieces", a reference to its use for the treatment of gall and kidney stones
Other common names include: Bitter Wintergreen, Gagigebug (Ojibwe, "everlasting leaf"), Ground Holly, Love-In-Winter, Pine Tulip, Prince's Pine, Rheumatism Weed, Waxflower, Ryl (Sweden), Sarjatalvikki (Finland), Umbellate Wintergreen (UK)
Taxonomy: Kingdom Plantae, the Plants
Division Magnoliophyta, the Angiosperms (flowering plants)
Class Magnoliopsida, the Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae
Order Ericales
Family Pyrolaceae, the Wintergreens, with Pyrolas (Shinleafs)
Genus Chimaphila, the Prince's Pines
Taxonomic Serial Number: 23769
Also known as Pyrola umbellata
Description: A native Broadleaf evergreen shrublet or perennial rhizomatous herb.
Stems woody, 4"-12" tall.
Leaves lanceolate, whorled, thick, leathery, and sharply serrate.
Fruits depressed, globose capsules which often persist through winter.
Flowers white, bell-like, often with a touch of pink, in 2 or 3 flower umbels.
Additional photos
Distribution: Circumboreal; Newfoundland to Alaska south to California and Mexico, and east to Colorado, and South Dakota. It is also found in the eastern United States from Maine south in the mountains to Georgia and west to Minnesota.
Habitat: Wide variety of soils and soil moisture regimes. Most commonly occurs in mixed woods and coniferous forests on dry, well-drained, rocky or sandy soils. In Ontario, most often on sandy or rocky soil on well-drained sites, on gravel terraces, and in Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) barrens. In Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)/White Pine (Pinus strobus) forests of Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, on dry, shallow, well-drained, nutrient poor to medium loamy sand to sandy loam soils. In the BWCA, on shallow, sandy soils to deep soils with a high clay content.
Moderately shade tolerant to tolerant. Its highest frequency or cover is probably reached at intermediate light levels, such as in relatively open conifer stands.
Present throughout succession and in stands of all ages. Found in relatively young stands, but probably more frequent in mid-successional stages and mature forests.
Dry or moist sites in pine woods
Sandy, acid soil (pH 5 to 6)
Fire: Fire-sensitive species that is very susceptible to damage and often shows a strong decline following fire. Moderate to high probability of being killed by fire, though low severity fires that do not consume the organic mantle may only top kill it. Survival probably depends to a great extent on damage to rhizomes, so it depends on depth of rhizomes, fire severity, and consumption of duff. Loss of the long-lived evergreen leaves may also reduce survival.
Postfire vegetative recovery depends primarily on the survival of scattered individuals in undisturbed microsites.
Associates: Trees: Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana), Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Shrubs: Saskatoon Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Common Juniper (Juniperus communis), Twinflower (Linnaea borealis), Currants (Ribes spp.), Raspberries (Rubus spp.), Russet Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Spirea (Spiraea spp.),
Herbs: Blue Bead Lily (Clintonia borealis), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Sweet Scented Bedstraw (Galium trifolium), Dwarf Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens), Shinleafs (Pyrola spp.), Violets (Viola spp.)
History: Used by Native Americans to brew a tea
Roots and leaves were boiled and the infusion ingested as a treatment for tuberculosis and long-lasting colds. The leaves were also used as an astringent.
Uses: Can be used as an ingredient in root beer.
Sold as a medicinal herb; contains ericolin, arbutin, chimaphilin, urson, tannin, and gallic acid
The bruised leaves can sometimes induce redness, vesication, and irritation of the skin
Reproduction: Reproduces by seed and vegetatively by rhizomes.
Flowers pollinated by bumblebees and staphylinid beetles. Develops numerous, minute seeds.
Produces long rhizomes that normally grow at a fast rate. Genets are generally long-lived.
Flowers July/August
Pollination by Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)
Fruit a dry brown capsule.
Seed dispersal probably by wind.
Propagation: By seed, started in July in a mix of acid peat and sand in cold frame.
By division in early spring
Cultivation: Pipsissewa is extremely difficult to grow in the garden.
Thanks Gary,
extremely difficult to grow in the garden does not mean impossible (I hope)
Doug
WOW!!!! You guys are INTENSE!!!!!
LOL Greta