Just a few days ago I found a rare wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) while walking through the woods at the Bucks Ledge Community Forest. Although it wasn’t in bloom, I recognized the genus immediately since this species of Pipsissewa hugs the ground, has stripes and is threatened in a number of states. In Maine, it is not supposed to grow this far north. According to the sources I consulted it has been found in few counties, Oxford being one.

Because the weather has been cool and gray for two days (perfect for spotting small wildflowers) I ventured into to one of my favorite forests to check on the species of Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) that is found here in some places. These exquisite flowers are a delight, I was fortunate to find a couple still in bloom.

Pipsissewa is a native wildflower which produces a cluster of pink or white nodding blossoms in July or August (the ones I have seen are white or blushed with pale pink). The flowers are about ½-inch long, with five thick waxy petals. The petals are cup-shaped, with rounded tips and are borne on slender stalks. They are followed by deep pink fruit capsules in August and September.

The stalks stand above the greenery, the flowers are very fragrant, and I was fortunate to find a couple in bloom on my recent foray into another forest. It is worth getting onto your knees to take in the sweet scent, especially in the early morning. Not surprisingly, most pipsissewa are pollinated by bumblebees.

Pipsissewa is also known as Prince’s Pine or Waxflower. Like most wintergreens, the leaves are shiny, but these have toothed whirled leaves that are taller than other wintergreens, and are an excellent way to identify the plant that usually grows in small clusters. I no longer see large clumps like I used to, but according to the literature, the plant is ‘common’ throughout the northeast and elsewhere. The erect stems are slender and woody. Each year’s growth puts out a few new branches if the plants are healthy. These eventually root and form mats.

Because this wintergreen stays green all winter, sometimes it is easier to spot during late fall. Last summer on one rain-soaked day, I found a solitary plant along a familiar woodland path in mixed woodlands. Perhaps it was a seedling, although as already mentioned, most reproduce by underground (white) rootlets that lie just under the surface. If the seeds do germinate, they remain in the soil for several years, dependent on fungi for a supply of carbon.

During the summer it is easy to miss these plants because other wintergreens are also present in forests that have not been recently logged. Remember to look for lance-shaped evergreen leaves with sharp teeth that are always dark green and glossy. The leaves are one to two inches long and about a half inch wide.

Pipsissewa flowers are followed by fruit in the form of a small, five-sectioned capsule. The fruit capsule starts off green, and then ripens to deep rose pink. In late fall, the capsules darken to brown, spliting open to expose the seeds. The capsules are about ¼ inch in diameter, with a distinct button-shaped cap. No source that I consulted seemed to think these fruits and seeds were useful to wildlife.
Hmm. I’ll let that one go.