Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng.
Other common names: Uva-ursi, red bearberry, bear's-grape, bear's bilberry, bear's whortleberry, foxberry, upland cranberry, mountain cranberry, crowberry, mealberry, rockberry, mountain box, kinnikinnic, killikinnic, universe vine, brawling, burren myrtle, creashak, sagachomi, rapper dandies (fruit).
Habitat and range: Bearberry, also commonly known in the trade as uva-ursi is a native of this country, growing in dry sandy or rocky soil from the middle Atlantic States north to Labrador and westward to California and Alaska.
Description: The bearberry is a low, much-branched shrub trailing over the ground and having numerous leathery evergreen leaves about 1 inch in length. The waxy flowers, which appear in May, are few and are borne in short, drooping clusters at the ends of the branches. They are white with a pinkish tinge, 5-lobed, and somewhat bell-shaped in form. Smooth, red, globular fruits containing five nutlets follow the flowers.
Part used: The leaves, collected in autumn.
