Lapland Rosebay is a tiny, mat-forming arctic-alpine shrub rarely exceeding 6 inches in height, growing in some of the harshest environments in North America — rocky arctic tundra, alpine fellfields, and windswept mountain summits. Despite its diminutive stature, it produces proportionally large, bright purple-pink flowers in early summer that stand out brilliantly against the barren landscape. The small, rust-dotted leaves are highly adapted to resist desiccation and cold. It has a circumpolar distribution and is one of the most northerly-occurring ericaceous shrubs.
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