Mayflower

Mayflower, common name for the trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens), a creeping, woody, evergreen plant belonging to the heath family (Ericaceae) and native to eastern North America. The only other member of the genus (E. asiatica) is native to Japan. The name mayflower derives from the very fragrant, white or rose-coloured, bell-shaped blossoms that appear during that month, and sometimes in April. Ants are attracted to the globular, capsule-shaped fruit. The mayflower grows in acidic sandy or peaty soils from Newfoundland to Manitoba, and has been the Provincial floral emblem of Nova Scotia since 1901. It is grown from seed because transplanting produces poor results.