Bearberry

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

A glossy evergreen mat that grips sandy, sunny banks where nothing else will hold, even by the sea.

the Northeastthe Midwestthe Mountain Westthe Great Basinthe Pacific Northwest

Growing Bearberry

Also called kinnikinnick, it thrives in cold, poor, sandy soil and salt spray. Red berries hang on into winter for birds; spring bells feed early bees. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, evergreen, and salt-tolerant.

Where it grows

Bearberry is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky · Maine and 21 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.

Regional Garden shows Bearberry on 31 state pages.

Good for

Pollinators For bees Hummingbirds For birds Deer-resistant Full sun

Sourcing

Where to buy Bearberry

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.

Plant it with

Companions & kin.

Natives that share Bearberry’s range and conditions.

Perennial wildflower

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

A near-continental native with flat flower heads that feed tiny beneficial insects, tough as a weed.

Full sun
Dry–average
1.5–3 ft
Blooms May–Aug

Evergreen shrub

Oregon Grape

Berberis aquifolium

Holly-like evergreen leaves, fragrant yellow spring flowers, and blue berries — Oregon's state flower.

Sun to shade
Dry–average
3–6 ft
Blooms Mar–Apr

Shrub

Red-Twig Dogwood

Cornus sericea

Grown for its fire-engine-red winter stems, with white spring flowers and berries birds devour.

Full–part sun
Average–wet
6–9 ft
Blooms May–Jun

Perennial wildflower

Anise Hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

Months of lavender spikes over licorice-scented foliage, mobbed by bees from dawn to dusk.

Full–part sun
Dry–average
2–4 ft
Blooms Jun–Sep