description Gaultheria shallon Overview
Salal is a Pacific Coast North American shrub first formally described by Frederick Pursh in 1813 from specimens collected by Meriwether Lewis, now a major product of the commercial cut-foliage industry.
help Gaultheria shallon FAQ
What is Gaultheria shallon commonly called?
Gaultheria shallon is the shrub commonly known as salal. It is an evergreen member of the heath family, Ericaceae, native to the Pacific coast of North America.
Why is salal important to the cut-flower industry?
Salal has glossy, leathery evergreen leaves that keep their visual structure in floral arrangements. Florists use the foliage as a durable green filler, and it is harvested commercially across the Pacific Northwest. [USDA Forest Service salal profile](https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/gausha)
Who first formally described Gaultheria shallon?
Frederick Pursh formally described Gaultheria shallon in 1813 from specimens associated with Meriwether Lewis's collecting work. The plant's common name, salal, remains more familiar in Pacific Northwest gardening and floristry.
Are salal berries edible?
Salal produces dark berries that are edible but are often described as bland or mealy rather than intensely sweet. The glossy foliage is usually more commercially important today because it is used as cut greenery. [Oregon State University plant profile](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/gaultheria-shallon)
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