With small, shiny, evergreen leaves, this sprawling, low-growing subshrub spreads to form a dense, 1-foot high (30 cm) groundcover. Clusters have a few small, nodding, white to pinkish flowers that mature into red berries loved by bears, birds, and other wildlife.

FLOWER: May–August. Flowers urn-shaped, to 3/8 inch long (9.5 mm). Fruit a round, bright-red drupe, 1/4–1/2 inch diameter (6–12 mm).

LEAVES: Alternate. Blades dark green above, lighter below, leathery, oval, 3/8–1 inch long 9.5–25 mm), margins entire, often cupped; surfaces smooth to slightly hairy.

HABITAT: Dry to moist, sandy to rocky soils of slopes, valleys; coniferous montane to subalpine forests, alpine.

ELEVATION: 7,000–12,000 feet (2133–3658 m).

RANGE: Rocky Mountain states and west, Great Lakes to New England; Canada; circumboreal.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The low-growing stature, small, evergreen leaves, and forested habitat help separate this species.

NM COUNTIES: Mountains in mid-high-elevation coniferous forest habitats: Carton, Colfax, Grant, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro,  Taos.