Plant Details

Gaultheria shallon

Salal, shallon

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Common names

30 names · 25 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (24)
Dutch
  • Grote bergthee
French
  • Gaulthérie couchée
  • salal[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 北美白珠树[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 北美白珠樹[2]
  • 沙羅莓[2]
  • 沙龍白珠樹[2]
Czech
  • libavka shalon[2]
Danish
  • Busket Bjergte[2]
Downriver Halkomelem
  • t̕eqeʔəɬp[2]
Estonian
  • harilik talihali[2]
Finnish
German
  • Shallon-Scheinbeere[2]
Island Halkomelem
  • t'eqe'ulhp[2]
Japanese
  • レモンリーフ[2]
Lithuanian
  • Puošnioji bruknuolė[2]
Lushootseed
Nuuchahnulth
  • y̓am̓apt[2]
Polish
  • Golteria Shallon[2]
Russian
  • Гаультерия шаллон[2]
  • Сала́л[2]
Saanich
  • DḴÁ¸IȽĆ[2]
Slovak
  • gaultéria indiánska[2]
Squamish
  • t’áḵa7áy̓[2]
Swedish
  • vaktelbär[2]
Ukrainian
  • Гольтерія Шалон[2]
Upriver Halkomelem
Language not specified
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Gaultheria shallon Pursh ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Salal — VernacularName.tsv, line 153412; taxon 3FF2X.
  • Shallon (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 153413; taxon 3FF2X.
[2] Gaultheria shallon — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • salal — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • shallon — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Гаультерия шаллон — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Busket Bjergte — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • libavka shalon — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • 沙羅莓 — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • 沙龍白珠樹 — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • DḴÁ¸IȽĆ — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • harilik talihali — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • salal — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • 北美白珠树 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • vaktelbär — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • 北美白珠樹 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • レモンリーフ — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Puošnioji bruknuolė — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Сала́л — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • isosalali — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Golteria Shallon — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • gaultéria indiánska — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • t’áḵa7áy̓ — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • t̕eqeʔəɬp — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • t'eqe:lhp — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • t'eqe'ulhp — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • y̓am̓apt — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • t'aqa — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Гольтерія Шалон — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.
  • Shallon-Scheinbeere — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 48441; Gaultheria shallon.

General information

Scientific name: Gaultheria shallon
Accepted name (Kew): Gaultheria shallon Pursh View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Ericaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Gaultheria (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Salal, shallon
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.20 m
Spread: 1.00 m
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Evergreen
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Erect, Prostrate

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium)
pH:
Acid (<6.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Dappled Sunlight, Deep shade, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Tea
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Ground cover

Description

Fruit - can be eaten raw, cooked, or dried for later consumption. The sweet and juicy fruit has a pleasant flavor and is suitable for eating fresh. It can also be processed into jam, cakes, beverages, and so on, or dried and used as raisins. The fruits are about 10 mm in size and are produced for several weeks in late summer. Additionally, the leaves can be used to make a delicious tea.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/08
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 807078; name ID 2817706; Gaultheria Kalm ex L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1396037; name ID 2818048; Gaultheria shallon Pursh.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Gaultheria shallon

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 251389, ID 3FF2X: Gaultheria shallon Pursh (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Gaultheria shallon — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Growth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .