Spring is almost here, so gardeners and landscapers around the country are starting to plan their spring gardens. Have you decided what you’ll be planting yet? One of our favorite spring plants is bearberry. If you’re looking for low-maintenance ground cover, you’ll love bearberry, too.
Bearberry (arctostaphylos uva-ursi), or sometimes known as kinnikinnick, can be a great landscaper’s plant for a few reasons. Its evergreen leaves and white and pink flowers grow quickly, and can thrive in many environments from Alaska to the Southwest states. This shrub likes dry, sunny environments, sandy or well-drained gravelly light loam, direct light or partial shade, and can be great for steep areas that won’t hold other types of plants.
According to the book “Taylor’s 50 Best Shrubs,” bearberry is a wonderful plant for ground cover. Its creeping roots and low-maintenance requirements make this an optimal choice all-over coverage in many areas. Plus, the shrub’s root structure means it will help to hold soil in place, working to prevent erosion, which is why it is a common choice for planting along steep hills and banks. The book also suggests using this pretty vine underneath trees since it can easily grow in partially obscured sun.
Bearberry is extremely easy to manage, as well. It won’t need to be pruned and trimmed often since it grows low – generally about a foot in height when mature. Since it also spreads well, it can be arranged to cover complete coverage in a roughly five-foot radius of where it’s planted.
During colder months, the leathery leaves on bearberry shrubs tend to stay green and the red or pink berries it produces are popular with hummingbirds, butterflies and other birds and insects that can draw attractive wildlife to your home or business.
Bearberry is a perfect all-season plant that does best when planted in spring. Order bearberry plants for your property online now from Cold Stream Farm or give us a call today at 231-464-5809 to learn more about this pretty and prolific plant.
