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Partridge Berry

About Partridge Berry

Partridgeberry is an evergreen, perennial, woody herb that is a low growing, creeping delicate vine in the Rubiaceae (madder) family. It is found naturally in forests, stream-banks, on rotten logs, and in bottomlands and other wet habitats throughout eastern and central North America. The stems run along the ground in a vine-like fashion often carpeting an area. The leaves are opposite with a smooth margin and white central vein. White, sometimes pinkish, flowers mature in summer. The plant has a medium flammability rating.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Mitchella repens

Genus

Mitchella

Family

Rubiaceae

Order

Gentianales

Also known as

Squaw vine

How to care for Partridge Berry

💦 Water

How often to water your Partridge Berry

Partridge Berry needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Partridge Berry in your home

Partridge Berry love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Partridge Berry does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Partridge Berry in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Partridge Berry

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Partridge Berry: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Partridge Berry after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

I would like to transplant this partridge berry outside this spring—I live in zone 7 and wonder if anyone has had success with moving this plant from indoors environment to the ground outdoors? Thanks so much! 🙏🌱 #PartridgeBerry

Browse #PartridgeBerry

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Partridge Berry is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

Benefits of Growing Partridge Berry →

Common Partridge Berry Problems →

💦 Water Needs

Partridge Berry prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Partridge Berry Water Frequency →

Partridge Berry Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Partridge Berry requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Partridge Berry Light Requirements →

Partridge Berry Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Partridge Berry is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Partridge Berry does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Partridge Berry →

When and How to Successfully Repot Partridge Berry →

💩 Fertilizer

Partridge Berry grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Partridge Berry →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Partridge Berry grows along the ground and sends out shoots which will spread across the soil.

How and When to Prune Partridge Berry →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Partridge Berry can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-8b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Partridge Berry Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

Partridge Berry can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Partridge Berry →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Partridge Berry, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.