20 Partridgeberry Seeds – Mitchella repens | Native Groundcover for Eastern Canada & USA

Product Overview

Mitchella repens, commonly known as Partridgeberry, Twinberry, or Running Box. A delicate, creeping perennial native to eastern Canada. Prized for its ornamental evergreen foliage, fragrant flowers, and scarlet berries that attract wildlife. This listing includes 20 seeds.

Botanical Information

- Botanical Name: Mitchella repens

- Common Names: Partridgeberry, Twinberry, Running Box, Partridge Berry, Squawvine

- Family: Rubiaceae

- Native Range: Eastern Canada and eastern United States

Hardiness & Growth

- Hardiness Zones: USDA 3–8

- Height: Approximately 2 inches (5 cm)

- Spread: 6–14 inches (15–35 cm)

- Growth Habit: Creeping, mat-forming groundcover that roots at nodes

- Growth Rate: Slow

- Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full shade

- Soil Preference: Humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soils

- Moisture Requirements: Prefers consistent moisture; somewhat drought-tolerant once established

Features

- Evergreen foliage with dainty, rounded, glossy dark green leaves with pale veins

- Fragrant, trumpet-shaped pinkish-white flowers blooming in pairs from spring to late summer

- Scarlet berries ripen in late summer and often persist through winter

- Distinctive feature: two flowers fuse to produce a single berry with two "dimples"

- Berries are edible but mild in flavour

- Beloved by partridges and other wildlife

Ecological Value

- Scarlet berries provide winter food for birds (ruffed grouse, quail, turkeys) and small mammals

- Flowers attract bees and pollinators

- Excellent for erosion control in shaded or sloped areas

- Non-aggressive, non-invasive ground-cover

Landscape Uses

- Woodland gardens and shaded borders

- Under-planting acid-loving shrubs (rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries)

- Rock gardens and terraria

- Naturalized areas and ecological restoration

- Native alternative to invasive ground-covers

Seed Propagation Note

Partridgeberry can be propagated from seed, though it is generally considered slow-growing and can be more challenging to establish from seed than from cuttings or division. Cuttings root easily and are a more reliable propagation method for home gardeners.

Seed Preparation & Germination

For best results with seed propagation:

1. Sow seeds outdoors in late fall for natural cold stratification over winter

2. Alternatively, mix seeds with moist sand or peat moss and refrigerate at 2–5°C (35–40°F) for 60–90 days

3. After stratification, sow seeds on the surface of moist soil—do not cover deeply, as light aids germination

4. Keep soil consistently moist; germination is slow and may occur in spring

5. Maintain in partial to full shade

What You Receive

- 20 seeds of Mitchella repens (Partridgeberry / Twinberry / Running Box)