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February 19, 2008 : Salix uva-ursi
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Keywords: Salicaceae | Salix uva-ursi Pursh | Labrador, Canada
Thank you to“LabTea”, of the UBC Botanical Garden Forums, for today's photographs (original thread | BPotD Submissions Forum). I'm reading a book on photographic composition and put it down while on the subject of “pattern”, so I suspect that had some influence on choosing these images today. Much appreciated!
Bearberry willow is native to northeastern North America (including Greenland), though absent from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Newsholme's book, Willows - The Genus Salix, states that it typically grows on calcareous rocks at high altitudes (though some other references suggest it will also do well on granitic rock. Newsholme also describes it as: “An ornamental, very distinctive and hardy dwarf species requiring a well-drained rocky situation”. In this case, dwarf means it will grow to a height of about 15cm, so it's apparent that both photographs have been taken with the camera at near-ground level.
The majority of species in the genus Salix are native to the northern hemisphere, but there are representatives in South America and tropical Africa (indeed, some of the rarest species can only be found in one river basin in Africa).
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at February 19, 2008 10:44 AM
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Comments
Posted by: Beverley at February 19, 2008 12:49 PM
What wonderful photos of a great plant until now unknown to me - I love the flowers, leaves and habit. It is apparently native to northwestern Maine although rare; now it is on my rock garden wish-list. Thanks for featuring a northeastern plant.
Posted by: Ginny at February 19, 2008 12:52 PM
Is this one different than Arctostaphylos uva ursi?
Posted by: Lorinda at February 19, 2008 1:00 PM
A lot more info at the Salicaceae of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago page
Posted by: Michael F at February 19, 2008 2:12 PM
Good question, Lorinda. The answer is they are different. The Arctostaphylos is a member of the Ericaceae, or heath family (with blueberries, rhododendrons and heathers). The epithet uva-ursi, like all epithets, can be used for many different species. A very common one is alba, meaning white. Uva-ursi is probably one of the most memorable, though (literally meaning “bear-fruit on the vine” or “bear-grape”).
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at February 19, 2008 4:44 PM
Excellent link, Michael, thanks.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin at February 19, 2008 4:44 PM
Last summer, I was privileged to spend two glorious sun-filled (a bonus) days monitoring rare plants on Mt Washington in NH. Salix uva-ursi was doing quite well there in the "granite state".
Posted by: Deb Lievens at February 19, 2008 5:58 PM
Thank you for the great and simple answer, I should have recognized the genus. Does anyone know if it has been used medicinally, or contain salicylates?
Posted by: Lorinda at February 20, 2008 1:33 PM
Not this willow species, specifically - at least from what I know. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine given its distribution, though.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin at February 20, 2008 3:00 PM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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Salix uva-ursi - Z1 - RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Salix, sa-liks; Lat. name for a willow, possibly from Celtic, sal, near, and lis, water. Plant Names Simplified, Johnson and Smith