Wintergreen is a small evergreen plant with glossy leaves, white bell-shaped flowers, and bright red berries that stays green throughout winter. The plant grows close to the ground in North American forests and contains a natural chemical called methyl salicylate that gives it a distinctive minty, slightly medicinal smell and taste.

People have used wintergreen for centuries as a flavoring. You've probably tasted it in certain chewing gums, candies, and toothpastes, where it provides that sharp, cool, minty flavor that's different from peppermint or spearmint. Wintergreen oil was also traditionally used in muscle rubs and pain-relief ointments because of its warming, tingly sensation on the skin.

The wintergreen flavor is so distinctive that once you know it, you'll recognize it immediately. Some people love its bold taste while others find it too strong or medicinal. The red berries, while edible, aren't particularly delicious, but wildlife like deer and birds enjoy them during winter months when other food is scarce. Because the plant stays green and produces bright berries in winter, it adds welcome color to snowy forests when most other plants have lost their leaves.