Gaultheria shallon
Salal
Habitat:
Found on dry to moist well drained locations on the sun or shade, on the west side of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada Mountains from British Columbia to southern California. Of interesting note it is possibly the most common shrub in the understory of the Pacific Northwest forests. Reaches largest size in the fog belt in the Pacific Northwest (Randall et al 1988).
Leaves 1 1/2” to 3 1/2” long, oval and leathery. Dark glossy green and smooth above, paler below, margins very finely serrated. Flowers pinkish urn shaped and 1/4” long on loose clusters. Fruit bluish black oval berry about 5/16” in diameter.
Twigs green to red and pubescent, older twigs becoming grayish brown and smooth (Randall et al 1988).
Courtesy USDA Plants Database