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Salal

Gaultheria shallon

perennial herb View on Calscape

Care

Sun

part shade

Water

moderate

Soil

Fast, Medium; Prefers sandy soil with organic material.

Size

1–7ft tall , 7–12ft wide

Bloom

Mar-May

Foliage

Evergreen

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Fragrant

Yes

Edible

Berries eaten fresh or cooked; traditional Indigenous food and current culinary use

Native Range

Coastal forests and redwood areas of northern California from Humboldt County to Mendocino County, below 3000 ft elevation, extending to Oregon

Care Guide

Planting

Plant salal in part shade where it will thrive in both sunny and shady conditions, though partial shade is ideal for Bay Area gardens. Prepare soil that drains well - fast to medium drainage - and amend with organic material to create the sandy, rich soil this plant prefers. Space plants according to your desired mature height, since salal ranges from a ground cover to a 7-foot shrub depending on conditions. Plant in fall or early spring so the plant can establish before summer.

After Planting

Water weekly for the first summer, then taper to once or twice monthly during summer once established. Salal is evergreen and tolerant of cold down to 10°F, so it requires minimal winter care in the Bay Area. Prune after flowering ends in late spring if you want to shape it as a hedge or control its size; otherwise, this low-maintenance native needs little pruning. The biggest mistake is overwatering - salal evolved in coastal forests and forest understory, not wet conditions, so let the soil dry between waterings once it's past the first year.

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