← Bedfellow

Kinnikinnick

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

A tough, mat-forming evergreen groundcover (bearberry) with glossy leaves, pink urn flowers, and red berries for wildlife. Superb for covering hot, dry, sandy banks and slopes.

Family

Ericaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

0.5–1 ft

Spacing

3–6 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade, shade

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral, alkaline

Bloom

March, April, May, June

Bloom colors

white, pink

Wildlife value

butterflies, hummingbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~17 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

groundcover

Native states

AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY