Bog Rosemary
All parts of this plant are POISONOUS to humans
- Iñupiaq name: Unavailable
- Family: Ericaceae
- Scientific name: Andromeda polifolia
- Distinguishing characteristics: Dwarf woody shrub, 2-4 inches tall with very few branches. Narrow green leaves are curled in along the edges. Pink urn shaped flowers occur in bunches on a pink flowering stem.
- Similar species: Bog rosemary is commonly confused with other members of the Ericaceae or "heath" family because all members of the family produce distinctive, urceolate (urn-shaped) flowers. To tell the difference between bog rosemary and delicious blackberry or blueberry plants, look at the leaves, berries, and growth form. The leaves of bog rosemary are very long and strappy, unique from all other members of the heath family found on the North Slope. The berries are also unique - blackberry, bearberry, and blueberry all produce fruits which are either black/dark blue or red, while bog rosemary produces pink fruits. Finally, bog rosemary is a larger shrub while the others are either smaller in stature or creeping.
- Habitat: Boggy and wet tundra, open or exposed mossy areas. Prefers highly acidic soil.
- Do not harvest this plant, as ALL its parts are toxic to humans.
Photo by Arthur Haines, Native Plant Trust
Photo via Native Plant Trust
Photo by Alfred Cook, Alaska Wildflowers