Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Andromeda polifolia L.
- Family: Heath (Ericaceae)
- Flowering: May-July
- Field Marks: Bog Rosemary is distinguished by its needle-like, evergreen leaves which are turned under along the edges, its vase-shaped, drooping pink flowers about 1/4 inch long, and its more or less upright, spherical capsule that is depressed at the tip. It differs from A. glaucophylla in having leaves less whitened on the undersurface.
- Habitat: Bogs.
- Habit: Evergreen shrub, creeping at the base but with upright flowering stems.
- Stems: Wiry, glaucous, up to 1 1/2 feet tall.
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, evergreen, needle-like, leathery, usually becoming turned under at the sides, green on the upper surface, pale green to whitish and minutely hairy on the lower surface, up to 2 inches long.
- Flowers: Drooping in umbels from the axils of the uppermost leaves, about 1/4 inch long.
- Sepals: 5, green to whitish, free, spreading at maturity, broadly ovate, 1/10 inch long.
- Petals: 5, pink, united to form a vase, up to 1/4 inch long.
- Stamens: 10.
- Pistils: Ovary superior.
- Fruits: Capsule nearly spherical but depressed at top, upright, glaucous, up to 1/4 inch in diameter.
- Notes: Persons believing this plant to be different from the European species call it A. glaucophylla.
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