Open main menu

Wikibooks β

Wikijunior:Summer Flowers of Northern New England/Chimaphila umbellata

< Wikijunior:Summer Flowers of Northern New England
(Chimaphila umbellata)
Chimaphila umbellata 7349.JPG
Pipsissewa (pip-sis-sue-wah) is an low-growing evergreen closely related to wintergreen. It grows 4-10 inches tall, and has shiny, bright green leaves arranged in opposite pairs or whorls of 3-4 along the stem. Leaves have a shallowly toothed edge, where the teeth have fine hairs at their ends. The flowers are white or pink, produced in a small group of 4-8 together. The flowers rise well above the leaves. If you're lucky enough to find one of these in bloom, be sure to look on the underside of the flower. That's where most of its decoration is.

Quick Facts:
Pipsissewa is used as a flavoring in candy and soft drinks, particularly root beer. The word "Pipsissewa" is a Cree name meaning "It-breaks-into-small-pieces".