Salal Growing and Care Instructions

Salal is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub found native from Alaska to California at lower elevations under conifer forests. Hardy in zones 7-10. Use as a ground cover, woodland understory, hedge, and for erosion control.

Plant height varies from 2 foot in full sun to 4-10 foot tall in shade. Develops into dense thickets. Plant with rhododendron and ferns. Blooms in late Spring followed by edible black berries in late Summer. Eat berries raw, or make pies and jellies.

Branches are used in flower arrangements. Leaves are eaten by deer and elk and the berries are eaten by squirrels, bear, humans, and many songbirds. Hummingbirds like the nectar in the flowers.

Salal prefers a slightly acidic soil of 5.5 to 7 pH.

Mixing in 10 - 20% Douglas fir or Pine sawdust to your soil will lower your soil pH to about 5.5 naturally. 10% peat moss also helps.

Grows in moist acidic, organic rich soil in shade, or full sun. Too much sun will burn the plants until they root out. While full sun will produce smaller plants, salal prefers shade or afternoon shade over full sun and it needs to be watered often. If you want salal to grow in full sun, it is best to plant it in shade nearby and let it expand naturally after it is full rooted out into the full sun area. Salal forms thickets and can become invasive in the right conditions, so control the plant as needed by top and root pruning.

Salal makes excellent bird habitat, has tasty berries, and adds all season texture to the garden.

As an evergreen plant, salal needs water and nourishment all year round. Plant at same dept as the plants were originally grown. If grown in containers, our Blueberry soil mix works well. If you cannot find sawdust, we offer in our store.