Mystery Evergreen Shrub

[Kristl Walek]

My nursery friend here received this evergreen shrub via a Swedish connection---lost the tag, and I said that perhaps someone on this forum could identify it. I was blank.

Glossy, beautiful, leathery, evergreen foliage.
Very red stems.
Her 8 year old plant is about 45-60cm high, wide spreading.
You can see a few tiny, tiny nodding flower buds in one of the pictures.

[ichristie]

Hi, I am sure your shrub is a Gaultheria some would say Pernettya, I hope the small flowers will be followed by berries,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Kristl Walek]

Ian.
Voila. Thank you. Absolutely right.
And you know what is *really funny* ?
I carry seed of this species (from a friend in Europe)---and didn't even know it.

Kristl

[Lesley Cox]

Do you know which species Kristl? I'm thinking along the lines of Pernettya (Gaultheria) mucronata 'Bell's Seedling' but not sure that its stems are so red as that.

[Kristl Walek]

yes, i believe it *is* P. mucronata.
whether a cultivar, not sure.
most sources do describe the species as having crimson stems.