
Flower profile
Salal
Gaultheria shallon
Salal is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Oregon, Washington
Quick look
Gaultheria shallon is an evergreen shrub in the heather family (Ericaceae), native to western North America. Common names include salal, shallon, or gaultheria.
- It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Washington and Oregon. NatureServe
- In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 14,184 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #2 among the 110 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 8,739 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #2 among the 110 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
Salal gift ideas
Handmade salal gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Salal art print
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Salal greeting card
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Salal mug
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Salal earrings
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Salal embroidery pattern
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Salal sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Native | May–July | 14,184 |
| Oregon | Native | April–July | 8,739 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Washington
- No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “Fruits can be used in jams and jellies or eaten raw but are rather bland.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records salal in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington.
Washington counties with USDA records: Asotin, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom.
Oregon counties with USDA records: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill.
More Washington flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GASH.
- iNaturalist, Gaultheria shallon: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Gaultheria shallon (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Gaultheria shallon (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Gavin Slater via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.


