Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
 
Bearberry is an exceptional groundcover for sunny or partially shaded dry sites. It requires acidic soil as it is part of the Ericaceae family. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub with beautiful, strong, glossy leaves in many shades of green that turn red to purple in the fall. Its lantern-shaped white-pink flowers bloom in spring. Bearberry is low-maintenance and doesn't need to be pruned.
 
Ecology:
Small white-pink flowers attract bees with their nectar and pollen, as well as hummingbirds and butterflies with their nectar. Bearberry, also called kinnikinnik, the Algoquin word for it, is a host plant for elfin butterflies and some moths. The plant produces bright red berries that are loved by birds and other wildlife.
 
Growing conditions:
Bearberry is found around the globe in Northern regions. It grows in sandy, gravelly dry slopes and outcrops and on forest margins. It requires acidic, poor and well-drained soil in a sunny location, but can still grow in part sun. It takes the first year to anchor its roots, and it will then spread to cover bare ground as a beautiful, densely branched groundcover. The plants are difficult to transplant.