Partridgeberry, Twinberry               mit-CHEL-a, my-CHEL-luh REE-penz

• Broadleaf evergreen trailing ground cover or subshrub, less than 6 cm high and smooth stem 15-30 cm long and rooting at nodes.  Leaves simple, in opposite pairs, obiculate-ovate, small, about 0.5-2 cm long, dark green and shiny above, with a pale yellow mid-rib, and the lower surface often variegated with whitish lines; short petioles.   Flowers white, often tinged in purple, in pairs, trumpet-shaped, 0.8-2 cm long.  Fruit red berry-like, in pairs, globose, edible, but tasteless, persisting the entire winter, containing up to 8 seeds.
• Partial shade.  Needs acidic, moist, humus rich soil.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 2      Large native range, from Nova Scotia to Ontario and Minnesota and south to Texas and Florida.  There is a naturally occurring form that produces white berries, it is called Michella repens f. leucocarpa.