Irresistible!

I can't stay away from the salal shrub (Gaultheria shallon)in the native plants area of our back garden -- it's such a satisfactory plant, with these appealing flowers that attract bees, handsome evergreen leaves, and the ability to thrive in a wide range of conditions, from Alaska to California.

Native Americans used salal for medical purposes, food, dye, and other purposes. Salal leaves are often used by commercial florists as background greenery in floral arrangements, and the dark purple berries can be eaten fresh or made into jam.

We've been having some overgrown areas of the back garden cleared, and I think salal would be just the thing to plant there. I hadn't really appreciated it until I started blipping it this spring! It's amazing how being a blipper can help you see familiar sights in a new way.

(I've also indulged in some genealogy research today, so am behind on commenting but will catch up!)