Friday, April 19, 2013

Epigaea repens


Common Name: Trailing Arbutus, Mayflower, Gravel Plant, Ground Laurel, Winter Pink, Shadflower, Mountain Pink, Crocus - Arbutus is a genus of trees of the heath family with dark green leaves and white to pinkish flowers (Arbutus is the Latin name for the wild strawberry tree); trailing applies to a branch or shoot that extends along the ground as a runner. The common name conveys that the trailing arbutus was once considered a member of the genus Arbutus, distinguished in that it trailed along the ground.
The mayflower is the official flower of Massachusetts and also of Nova Scotia. It is a low-lying shrub with small pink flowers, often fading to white, that put off a notable sweet smell.

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