Ontario Wildflowers website

Partridgeberry
Mitchella repens

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) Other common names: Creeping Partridgeberry, Running Box, Twinberry, Two-eyed Berry

French names: Mitchella rampant

Family: Bedstraw Family (Rubiaceae)

Distinctive features: Sub-Shrub; A low trailing sub-shrub with fuzzy white flowers in pairs that form into one red berry per pair.

Flowers: Spring;  White;  4 parts (petals)

Leaves: Opposite/Whorled, Simple, Entire

Fruit/Seeds: Red berry forms from the pair of flowers.

Habitat: Forests

Edible: The berries are edible, but not very flavourful.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 156    Shrubs of Ontario: 427   

Native/Non-native: Native

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: repens: trailing


For more information visit: Ontario Trees and Shrubs

Photographs: 92 photographs available, of which 7 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) flowers

Partridgeberry flowers.

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

Typical Partridgeberry plants and leaves.

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

The leaves bear distinctive center stripes.

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

A pair of flowers.

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

A closer view of one flower in early July. Note how fuzzy it is inside!

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

Some ripe berries, and leaves.
The fruits remain on the plant over winter. The ones shown here were photographed at the end of May.

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

A ripe fruit showing that it has formed from the pair of flowers. This is unique and distinctive.


Range map for Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)