Teaberry

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, US, US(Appalachia), US(Amerindian)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Asthma, Astringent

Science studied: ARBUTIN, P-COUMARIC-ACID, ERICOLIN, GAULTHERASE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Ericaceae

Scientific name: Gaultheria procumbens

Common names: Teaberry, Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Creeping Wintergreen, Mountain Tea, Wintergrun (Ger.), Bergthee, Checkerberry, Eastern Teaberry, Boxberry, American Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Eastern teaberry, Boxberry, American wintergreen, Eastern Teaberry, Eastern Wintergreen, Eastern teaberry (EN), Gaulthérie couchée, Thé du Canada, Gweunlwyn Ymlusgol, Gweunlwyni Ymlusgol, Keklik Üzümü, Mountain-tea, Nedliggende bjergte, Niedere Scheinbeere, Petit thé des bois ou Gaulthérie couchée, Thé rouge

POWO: 330655-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, Turkey, US, US(Appalachia), US(Amerindian).

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Antirheumatic
• Antiseptic
• Asthma
• Astringent
• Carminative
• Colic
• Diuretic
• Medicine

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• Turkey
• US
• US(Appalachia)
• US(Amerindian)

Documented cultural uses

• Antirheumatic
• Antiseptic
• Asthma
• Astringent
• Carminative
• Colic
• Diuretic
• Medicine
• Rubefacient
• Stimulant
• Swelling
• Tea

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Antirheumatic · Elsewhere · "
• Antiseptic · Turkey · "
• Asthma · Turkey · "
• Astringent · Turkey · "
• Carminative · Turkey · "
• Colic · US · "
• Diuretic · Turkey · "
• Medicine · US(Appalachia) · "
• Rubefacient · Turkey · "
• Rubefacient · Elsewhere · "
• Stimulant · Turkey · "
• Swelling · US · "
• Tea · US(Amerindian) · "
• Tonic · Turkey · "
• Antiseptic · Elsewhere · "
• Carminative · US · "
• Emmenagogue · Turkey · "
• Tea · US · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen) Essential Oil Mimicking Prosthesis-Related Dermatitis. · 2026 source ↗
• A Novel Case of Allergic Contact Dermatitis From Gaultheria procumbens Essential Oil in a Herbal Medical Ointment. · 2026 source ↗
• Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of methyl salicylate [09.749] obtained from the leaves of Gaultheria procumbens L. for use in all animal species except cats (FEFANA asbl) · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ARBUTIN
• P-COUMARIC-ACID
• ERICOLIN
• GAULTHERASE
• GAULTHERIC-ACID
• GENTISINIC-ACID
• PRIMVEROSE
• O-PYROCATACHUIC-ACID
• SYRINGIC-ACID
• TANNIC-ACID
• TRIACONTANE
• VANILLIC-ACID
• METHYL-SALICYLATE
• GALLIC-ACID
• GAULTHERIN
• TANNIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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