Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Salal is an attractive evergreen shrub with edible fruits that is commonly found in coastal forests, and is a choice plant for shady hedges, food forests, and wildlife habitat. Its dark, lustrous green leaves add colour to winter landscapes, and are used in bouquets by the floral industry. Small, white to pink, urn-shaped flowers appear abundantly in spring to early summer, attracting many pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Tasty, dark blue fruits ripen in the summer, and are enjoyed by both humans and wildlife. Salal is slow to establish, and may take a couple of years before it begins to put on new growth. Once it eventually becomes established, it grows vigorously, filling in space and spreading through rhizomes. This is a versatile and robust plant that can handle a variety of conditions, but prefers partial shade and moist, acidic soil that is high in organic matter.

Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full shade
Soil & Moisture: Moist to seasonally moist, humus-rich, acidic soil. Drought tolerant once established.
Mature Size: 2'-10' tall, spreads through rhizomes
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Edible: Yes
Wildlife Value: Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Butterfly and moth host plant. Fruits are eaten by birds and other wildlife. Provides cover and nesting sites. Browsed by deer and elk.
Native Range & Habitat: Forests and coastal areas at low to middle elevations. Native to the west coast from Alaska south to California.
Other Names: t’áḵa7áy̓ (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim)