Gaultheria shallon, Salal, Pacific Northwest Native Plants, Oregon Native Shrub, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, Portland
Gaultheria shallon, Salal, Pacific Northwest Native Plants, Oregon Native Shrub, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, Portland

Salal

Gaultheria shallon

  • Size at maturity: 1-5' tall, 1-5' wide
  • Canopy layer: small shrub
  • Light requirements: full shade, part sun / part shade
  • Moisture requirements: dry to moist soil
  • Growth rate: medium
  • Special features: evergreen, medicinal, edible, supports hummingbirds

Salal is an evergreen shrub that may form dense patches in drier coniferous forests. The flowers are urn-shaped and range from white to pinkish. Salal blooms from May to July and the reddish flower stalks bend so that the loose 6-inch clusters of flowers are oriented in one direction. The leaves are egg-shaped and alternate, thick and leathery but shiny. The dark purple to black berries are edible but often bland. The berries attract birds. (Portland Plant List, 2016)

Photo Credit 1: "File:Salal (Gaultheria shallon) Leaf and Flowers.jpg" by Wingchi is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo Credit 2: "Salal Gaultheria shallon" by brewbooks is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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