Alpine Bearberry

Arctous alpina

Native to:
Albania, Aleutian Is., Austria, Canada, China, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kuril Is., Labrador, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Ericaceae
Genus:
Arctous
Species:
Arctous alpina
USDA Symbol:
ARAL2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
15 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
white, pink
Ground Cover:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:
★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Mendocino saturnia moth (Saturnia mendocino)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fall Color:
red, purple

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to alpine and subarctic regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
30–60 days
Notes:
Seeds may exhibit dormancy and benefit from cold-moist stratification. Germination can be slow and erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Not given

Establishment: The provided protocol lacks specific information on propagation source, pre-treatment, establishment protocol, temperature, germination rate, and germination time range for Andromeda polifolia.

Source: npn.rngr.net