Hello, Beth,

Thank you for writing to us with your questions about the Massachusetts Kinnikinnick evergreen shrub and where it will thrive.

This evergreen is classified as a broadleaved evergreen, which simply means it doesn't have needle-like foliage. Broadleaved evergreens grow best in areas protected from winter sun, cold and drying winds.

The evergreen you're looking at as a possibility in your landscape will tolerate both partial shade to shade. There are other things you should consider in addition to light for any evergreen you're thinking of planting.

* All evergreens, whether broadleaved or narrowleaved, will lose some of their leaves each year. 

* Consider soil and site conditions before deciding what to plant. The Massachusetts Kinnikinnick prefers neutral to acidic well-drained soils. 

* Many broadleaved evergreens fare poorly in Colorado if placed on a south or west exposure due to bright winter sun, cold and drying winds.

* They require consistent soil moisture (low to medium). Most evergreen shrubs growing in Colorado landscapes, whether recently transplanted or well-established, benefit from supplemental water during winter dry spells.

* The Massachusetts Kinnikinnick expected size when grown is 0.5 x 5 (HxW), it has a slow growth rate and a spreading habit.

This link to CSU Extension Fact Sheet 7.414 "Evergreen Shrubs" will give you more in-depth information about these considerations:

https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/07414.pdf

For information about fall and winter watering, CSU Extension Fact Sheet 7.211:

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/

If, after reading this information you find the Massachusetts Kinnikinnick won't work for you, an excellent resource for choosing an alternate is the Plant Select website at plantselect.org. Select "Search right plant right place" to reach a screen that allows you to choose attributes of the type of plant you want for a particular space.

Please don't hesitate to contact us again if you have other questions.

Regards,

Colorado Master Gardener

I've got a small area to plant that is partly in full shade, and partly in partial shade. I'm thinking of planting Massachusetts Kinnikinnick but I see conflicting information online about light conditions for that. Some say it can handle "partial shade" but can't handle "full shade", and others say that it CAN handle "full shade". Can you clear this up? It's OK with me if the part in the full shade doesn't end up flowering, as long as the plant will survive there. If the Kinnikinnick can't handle full shade, can you suggest some hardy green leafed shrubs (or tall ground cover) that are at least 8 or 10 inches tall, but no more than about 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall, that can survive in both full shade as well as in partial shade? (I've already got juniper in an adjacent area so I'm looking for something different than that). Thanks

I've got a small area to plant that is partly in full shade, and partly in partial shade. I'm thinking of planting Massachusetts Kinnikinnick but I see conflicting information online about light conditions for that. Some say it can handle "partial shade" but can't handle "full shade", and others say that it CAN handle "full shade". Can you clear this up? It's OK with me if the part in the full shade doesn't end up flowering, as long as the plant will survive there. If the Kinnikinnick can't handle full shade, can you suggest some hardy green leafed shrubs (or tall ground cover) that are at least 8 or 10 inches tall, but no more than about 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall, that can survive in both full shade as well as in partial shade? (I've already got juniper in an adjacent area so I'm looking for something different than that). Thanks

I've got a small area to plant that is partly in full shade, and partly in partial shade. I'm thinking of planting Massachusetts Kinnikinnick but I see conflicting information online about light conditions for that. Some say it can handle "partial shade" but can't handle "full shade", and others say that it CAN handle "full shade". Can you clear this up? It's OK with me if the part in the full shade doesn't end up flowering, as long as the plant will survive there. If the Kinnikinnick can't handle full shade, can you suggest some hardy green leafed shrubs (or tall ground cover) that are at least 8 or 10 inches tall, but no more than about 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall, that can survive in both full shade as well as in partial shade? (I've already got juniper in an adjacent area so I'm looking for something different than that). Thanks

Hello, Beth,

Thank you for writing to us with your questions about the Massachusetts Kinnikinnick evergreen shrub and where it will thrive.

This evergreen is classified as a broadleaved evergreen, which simply means it doesn't have needle-like foliage. Broadleaved evergreens grow best in areas protected from winter sun, cold and drying winds.

The evergreen you're looking at as a possibility in your landscape will tolerate both partial shade to shade. There are other things you should consider in addition to light for any evergreen you're thinking of planting.

* All evergreens, whether broadleaved or narrowleaved, will lose some of their leaves each year.

* Consider soil and site conditions before deciding what to plant. The Massachusetts Kinnikinnick prefers neutral to acidic well-drained soils.

* Many broadleaved evergreens fare poorly in Colorado if placed on a south or west exposure due to bright winter sun, cold and drying winds.

* They require consistent soil moisture (low to medium). Most evergreen shrubs growing in Colorado landscapes, whether recently transplanted or well-established, benefit from supplemental water during winter dry spells.

* The Massachusetts Kinnikinnick expected size when grown is 0.5 x 5 (HxW), it has a slow growth rate and a spreading habit.

This link to CSU Extension Fact Sheet 7.414 "Evergreen Shrubs" will give you more in-depth information about these considerations:

https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/07414.pdf

For information about fall and winter watering, CSU Extension Fact Sheet 7.211:

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/

If, after reading this information you find the Massachusetts Kinnikinnick won't work for you, an excellent resource for choosing an alternate is the Plant Select website at plantselect.org. Select "Search right plant right place" to reach a screen that allows you to choose attributes of the type of plant you want for a particular space.

Please don't hesitate to contact us again if you have other questions.

Regards,

Colorado Master Gardener