Bearberry, Arctostaphylus uva-ursi Tile

There are two species of Arctostaphylus on Unalaska Island. Arctostaphylus uva-ursi differs from the other species by its leathery leaves and the colour of its bell-like flowers, which are pink with a dark tinge to the edges of the blossom. Bearberry is a medicinal plant with barely edible berries and this species is an evergreen. The bright red berries ripen in October on Unalaska Island. Bearberry is a medicinal plant which is common to Alaska and the eastern Aleutian Islands, of which Unalaska Island is a part. Bearberry is used in herbal medicine as a natural medicine for various conditions. Bearberry is a ground-covering evergreen which grows only a few inches tall, but which extends branches outward in thick clusters. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is a member of the Heath family, Ericaceae.