Gaultheria procumbens 'Big Berry' 2ltr pot

Few plants say winter quite like Gaultheria 'Big Berry'. This charming dwarf evergreen forms a low, glossy carpet of rounded, leathery leaves that release a fresh wintergreen scent when crushed and take on rich reddish tones as the weather turns cold. Small, bell-shaped white or pale pink flowers appear in summer, followed by the real star of the show: unusually large, bright scarlet berries, around 10mm across, that last well into winter. It's a wonderful choice for festive containers, window boxes and seasonal displays, and a lovely alternative to holly at Christmas.

'Big Berry' is happiest in partial or full shade, in moist but well-drained, acid to neutral soil; in alkaline gardens, grow it in pots of ericaceous compost. Slowly spreading by underground shoots, it makes excellent evergreen ground cover beneath acid-loving shrubs such as rhododendrons and camellias, along woodland edges and at the front of shady borders. Keep plants watered during dry spells, particularly in containers, and they need little else. The leaves and berries contain methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen), so it's best planted out of reach of pets and young children who might be tempted to nibble.

• Height: 15cm
• Spread: 0.5–1m (over 5–10 years)
• Flowering: Summer, followed by red berries into winter
• Position: Partial to full shade
• Soil: Acid to neutral, moist but well-drained
• Supplied in a 2L pot

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.