These are plants with creeping stems, which send up upright branches about 5 inches high, bearing dark green, oval glabrous leaves and small, scarlet fruit.
Oil of wintergreen is distilled from the leaves.
The plant is native throughout eastern U.S., from Georgia north, in woodland. The oil is used in flavoring and medicine. The plant is not cultivated in the U.S., as a cheaper source of a similar oil is birch, or a synthetic product.