Species › Plants › Bog Rosemary

Bog Rosemary

Andromeda polifolia

UncommonPlant
Illustration of Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)
Safety note: Toxic to livestock and potentially humans if ingested in quantity.

Bog Rosemary is a low, evergreen shrub of cold, acidic sphagnum bogs across northern North America, with narrow, leathery leaves and small pink urn-shaped flowers in spring. The leaves resemble culinary rosemary but the plant is not related and is mildly toxic. It is a characteristic plant of undisturbed northern bogs and Arctic fen habitats.

Habitat
Sphagnum bogs and Arctic fens across boreal and Arctic North America
Diet
Flowers visited by native bees; provides cover in bog habitats
How common
Uncommon

Best time to see a Bog Rosemary

The best time to see a Bog Rosemary is May–July, when about 69% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 3,430 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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