 Ground Hugger: Trailing Arbutus
Trailing Arbutus just beginning to bloom along a forest trail.
Keep an eye out for the beautiful and fragrant tiny trumpet-shaped flowers of Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) when you are on woodland trails. It is blooming in southern Maine now; for me it is a true harbinger of springtime; paired with the dawn chorus of birds and the evening chorus of frogs.
This ground hugging plant sends hairy stems across the forest floor among leaf litter - last autumn's leaves and the decaying remains of seasons past - and thrive where they can peek through thin layers of leaves to find light. Often, this is near trail's edge. This member of the heath family stands all of four to six inches tall and may be easily overlooked. In addition to the flowers look for the oval-shaped leathery evergreen leaves.
Multiple flower buds appear at the point where a leaf and stem meet and also at the tips of a hairy terminal stems. Flowers mature into white-green berries that are eaten by birds and insects. The berries generally split open in June revealing and releasing tiny brown seeds within a white pulp.
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Interesting Facts
- Flowers may be white or pink.
- Attracts butterflies; probable host to the caterpillars of the Hoary Elfin butterfly (Callophrys polios).
- Does not tolerate disturbance - such as drought, flood, and soil compaction.
- Very slow growing. Not easily cultivated.
Activities for Children and the Young at Heart
1. Go on a mico-hike! Instead of walking a forest trail, get down on your hands and knees and slowly and meditatively take in all you see within a foot or two of the trail. It is not about the distance you travel, but all that you notice on this mini-journey.
2. If you find a patch or matt of Trailing Arbutus, carefully count how many white versus pink flowers are in bloom. Is one color more prevalent? Why do you think some are white and others are pink? Is there an advantage? Is there a scent difference? Do you see any insects visiting the flowers? Do they frequent some more than others? Do different insects have different preferences?
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