In honor of National Unicorn Day today (Yes – it’s actually a holiday!) we are looking at one of their favorite foods.

The Bearberry is an evergreen bush that grows as a ground cover.  It has neat little roundish leaves and produces bright red berries.  It’s a member of the heath family and is native to the far north in USDA Zone 2.  It is known by a whole list of common names, but also by the Latin name Uva Ursi.

This shrub is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant. The bark is red and the foliage turns bronze in the fall and the bright red berries will stay on the bush all winter – or until they are eaten by bears, other wildlife - or unicorns.

It is only about 1 foot tall but can cover up to 15’ of ground once established. You can put in rocky soil or just about any conditions. 

If you have a large area of ground to cover, consider the Bearberry.