Cascade Sunrise Salal is a striking cultivar of Gaultheria shallon that brings unexpected drama to temperate gardens with its vibrant orange-red new foliage, a departure from the typical green of the species. Hardy in zones 6-9, this compact evergreen shrub reaches just 3 feet tall and wide, making it a manageable addition to landscapes that need year-round structure. In early summer, delicate pink urn-shaped flowers appear, followed by edible blue berries with a sweet, dry character that works beautifully in trail mixes or eaten fresh. Like its parent species, Cascade Sunrise Salal is built for toughness in maritime climates and demanding soils, yet it brings refined ornamental value most salals can't match.
Full Sun
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6-9
36in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The vibrant orange-red new growth on this salal cultivar sets it apart immediately, a foliage feature rarely seen in the species. Its narrower, more tapered leaves create a finer texture than typical Gaultheria shallon, while the compact 3-foot form keeps it proportionate in smaller spaces. Add early-summer pink flowers and sweet, edible blue berries, and you have a shrub that delivers ornamental appeal, food production, and the cast-iron durability salals are known for.
The edible blue berries can be enjoyed fresh or dried into homemade trail mix, adding a sweet, dry flavor to snack blends. The evergreen foliage and colorful new growth make it equally valuable as a landscape shrub in maritime gardens where ornamental evergreens need to earn their place through multiple seasons of interest.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Harvest the edible blue berries in mid to late summer once they darken to a deep blue color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. They can be eaten fresh or dried for use in trail mix; the berries dry readily, concentrating their sweet flavor.
Prune selectively to maintain the compact, equal-spread form and shape the shrub as desired. Remove any damaged or crossing branches in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.
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