
Species Identification:
Spotted Wintergreen is a short evergreen perennial reaching a height of 25 cm. They have smooth, dark green, toothed leaves with a white stripe down the middle. Leaves are arranged in a circular pattern around the stem, and they have small, fragrant, pinkish-white, five-petaled flowers arranged in clusters of 1 to 5 at the end of a single stalk. Flowers bow down so the face of the flower is pointed towards the ground, and they have rounded fruit capsules that release small, non-winged seeds to be dispersed by the wind. Spotted Wintergreen looks very similar to Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). However, while they are similar in appearance and found in similar habitat to Spotted Wintergreen, Pipsissewa does not have the characteristic white stripe along the centre of its leaves.
Habitat and Biology:
Spotted Wintergreen can be found throughout Eastern North America, Mexico, and Central America. In the United States, it can be found from central Michigan to Mississippi and Florida, and its western limits can be found in western Kentucky and Tennessee. In Canada, all 13 documented populations are found in southern Ontario. Only 6 of the original 13 documented Canadian populations are still believed to remain, with these populations being found exclusively in Norfolk County and the Niagara region. Spotted Wintergreen has been found historically in The Land Between, but it is now believed to be Extirpated from the area.
This species prefers Oak-dominated woodlands with a semi-open canopy, and sandy soils. Spotted Wintergreen is commonly found growing near Pipsissewa, Witch Hazel, Bracken Fern, Wild Sarsaparilla, and Round-leaved Dogwood. It flowers from late July to August for about three weeks, and is pollinated primarily by Bumblebees. Spotted Wintergreen reproduces with seeds that are dispersed by the wind and rain, or by producing a clone through an underground stem. The Spotted Wintergreen also needs to form a partnership with fungal species in soil in order to sustain seedling growth.


Conservation and recovery strategies:
There is ongoing active management of Spotted Wintergreen habitat on public lands where the species is known to occur. The Ontario Government is also working on educating landowners on what Spotted Wintergreen looks like and where it lives. This ongoing effort has been increasing the knowledge base of where Spotted Wintergreen populations are located, and what habitat is required. The Spotted Wintergreen may also be benefiting from the actions outlined in the Tallgrass Communities of Southern Ontario Recovery Plan.
Why You Should Care:
- Three of the six known populations of Spotted Wintergreen have been discovered within the last 10 to 15 years. These discoveries have been attributed to an increase in the amount of effort being made to find this species, and the level and quality of reporting
- Populations of Spotted Wintergreen have been known to occur in The Land Between, specifically in the Muskoka area, and could be rediscovered there or in other locations across The Land Between if we continue to increase survey effort and public awareness

Additional Resources:
- Government of Ontario’s Spotted Wintergreen SAR page
- The Spotted Wintergreen page from St. Williams Conservation Reserve
- Learn to identify Spotted Wintergreen from iNaturalist

Sources:
COSSARO. 2017. Ontario Species at Risk Evaluation Report for Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata). Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO). Retrieved from: http://cossaroagency.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Accessible_COSSARO_Evalution_SpottedWintergreen_COSSARO_FINAL_15FEB2018.pdf
Government of Ontario. 2014. Spotted Wintergreen. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/spotted-wintergreen
Government of Ontario. 2017. Spotted Wintergreen Recovery Strategy. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/spotted-wintergreen-recovery-strategy
COSEWIC. 2017. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Spotted Wintergreen Chimaphila maculata in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xii + 39 pp. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/cosewic-assessments-status-reports/spotted-wintergreen-2017.html