Share

Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Search native plant database:
Name:    
Family:    

Cassiope mertensiana (Western moss heather)
Cox, Fran

Cassiope mertensiana (Bong.) D. Don

Western moss heather, Western moss-heather

Ericaceae (Heath Family)

USDA Symbol: CAME7

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A low, matted, evergreen shrub with tough branches up to 12 in. tall. Small white bell-like flowers hang from the tips of slender stalks that grow from the axils near the ends of the branches on this matted plant. One to few bell-shaped flowers are borne near the branch tips. Because the flowers are pendent, the reddish sepals are visible.

The somewhat star-like white flowers may have inspired the genus name of this plant, for in Greek mythology Cassiopeia was set among the stars as a constellation. Firemoss Cassiope (C. tetragona), near the Canadian border, has a prominent groove on the lower side of each leaf. Starry Cassiope (C. stellariana), which grows in bogs from Mount Rainier northward, has alternate, spreading leaves.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , ID , MT , OR , WA
Canada: AB
Native Distribution: AK to CA, e. to the Canadian Rockies & MT
Native Habitat: Rocky Mt. slopes from timberline upward
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Cool, damp, gritty soil.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Cassiope mertensiana is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Cassiope Blue
(Plebejus cassiope)
Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cassiope mertensiana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cassiope mertensiana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cassiope mertensiana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-08-19
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back