Evergreen Fruits (Nearly) All Year Long

Is Wintergreen Edible? Yes
The little red berries with small green, smooth, oval leaves on the forest floor are edible.  

Best Wintergreen Identifier? The scent of a pinched leaf smells like wintergreen.  If you are not sure what wintergreen smells like, the closest smell I can relate to would be peppermint.  It doesn't smell exactly like peppermint, but they both have that toothpaste-flavoring type of smell.

When I think pack to the first time I tried the wintergreen flavor, it was a Wint O Green Lifesaver.  I am sure it was because of my best friend as a child, and it definitely had something to do with the idea that if you chew them fast, they will spark.  I like the flavor because it's not a fruity flavor, but it's not mint or cinnamon either.

Wintergreen Plant (Teaberry) Up Close

Wintergreen covers the forest floor and is most noticeable after the ferns die back.  In Michigan, this begins late summer (September) and are fully died back by mid-October.  Both, the leaves and the fruits of wintergreen plants, are edible.  

It is an evergreen, meaning it is around all year long.  Wintergreen is also known as Teaberry, and less commonly as Checkerberry and Boxberry.  

Notice the little five-star pattern on the bottom?  Zachos (Backyard Foraging) wrote, when referring to showing her nephew that a juneberry was safe, "I showed him the five-pointed crown on the top of the berry, and explained that any berry with that feature was safe to eat."  

Wintergreen Berry (Teaberry) Underneath Up Close

There are so many different berries in the woods, I use this as a safe reference when I was just starting out on my outdoor gathering adventures.  You can only learn so many things so quickly, and its best to start out with some of the easy ones first, wintergreen being one of them.  First comes teaberry, then comes bunchberries, and later wild grapes and elderberries.  

If you grew up with 'regular' berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and the like, eating a teaberry will not be what you expect.  

Texture and Flavor

Some people describe the berries as mealy (a poor texture, kind of like a bad supermarket peach).  For me, the texture and flavor of teaberries change throughout the year.  The berries are tastier after winter (Spring (best) > Summer > Fall), and the leaves are better prior to winter (Spring < Summer < Fall (best)).  When deer hunting, I like to grab several leaves off the trail on my way out to the deer blind and chew on them while waiting for deer to come along!  It's a good, healthy alternative to chewing tobacco or sugary gum.

See how the foliage is darker?  New growth is a light green and usually has fewer blemishes.  

Wintergreen (Teaberry) Previous Years Growth in the Spring Season

Uses

I keep reading about different ways to extract the wintergreen oil from the leaves.  I have not tried any of them yet.  Usually some sort of liquor has the ability to extract the flavor the best, with alternatives being cooking oil or even just water.  I do not want to make any recommendations having never utilized any of the methods myself.  I do intend to extract oil from the leaves this winter to make wintergreen ice cream though (I will keep you updated).  Search How to Extract Wintergreen Oil for some ideas in the meantime.

Hungry Native has an interesting way of making ice cream with the berries.

A common use is drying the leaves and using them as a tea.  May seem complicated, but isn't.  Simply lay the leaves out on some surface (paper plate, napkin, baking sheet, etc.).  You want there to be some air flow under the leaves if possible, which will prevent molding.  Don't set anything on top of the leaves, especially any surface that is NOT breathable (glass, rubber, heavy paper, plastic wrap, etc.).  These will trap moisture and create moldy conditions.  Let the leaves dry for a few days.  They are done when they are crunchy.  It is best (for all herbs actually) to keep the leaves whole until you use them in order to retain the most flavor possible.  Use just like a loose-leaf tea.

Oi, everywhere I read about wintergreen, there is always a warning.  Wintergreen contains methyl salicylate (like aspirin).  So don't consume if you are allergic.  Additionally, due to the susceptibility of Reye's Syndrome, hold off on eating if under 18 years old.

Good luck with your wintergreen endeavors, and keep us posted.  Thanks!

Sincerely,

Outdoor Gathering