Bog Laurel is a low-growing, mat-forming, perennial evergreen shrub or subshrub in the heath family and a native of an extensive range from subarctic America to the North Central and Northeastern United States. In the wild, it is often found in cold peat bogs. Bog Laurel can reach a mature height of 2 to 3 feet with an equal width. It is in leaf all year, produces showy pink or purple, bell-shaped flowers in spring, and the seeds ripen in September. The genus name honors Pehr Kalm, a Swedish botanist and student of Linnaeus. The species name is Latin for pole leaves. Bog Laurel does well in sandy or loamy, mildly acidic soil, but also tolerates clay soil. It is shade and flood-tolerant and prefers a site with good drainage. Propagate by seeds or stem cuttings in the summer. It is a slow-growing plant with a long lifespan and can take up to 20 years to reach full height. The plant can be pruned, but keep in mind that next year's blossoms will appear on old growth. Bog Laurel is highly toxic and the foliage, in particular, is poisonous to animals. The plant is pollinated by bees, and the resulting honey is also poisonous. Use in a meadow or woodland area. It will also work in a rain or shady garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Chlorosis, or yellowing of the leaves, is usually caused by an iron deficiency in limy soils.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Ground Cover; Perennial; Poisonous; Shrub; Water Plant
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Multi-stemmed; Prostrate
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Linear; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Long-lasting
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Glossy, leathery, dark blue-green foliage, waxy with an entire and revolute margin. Below each leaf base there are ridges and it appears as though the leaf curls around the stem. This is especially noticeable lower on the plant.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme; Solitary
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Showy, pink, 3/8 of an inch bell-shaped flowers appear in clusters of 2 to 5 blooms in May and June.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Woody capsule, winged seeds are five-parted, round.
Stem detail
Slightly flattened, 2-angled, sticky, glabrous or puberulent in downward lines from petiole base.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Subarctic North America, eastern Canada, south to Pennsylvania.
Typically not very palatable to horses unless it is the only forage available, but sheep and goats may graze readily on the plant. The toxic principle interferes with normal skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle and nerve function. Clinical effects typically occur within a few hours after ingestion, and can include acute digestive upset, excessive drooling, loss of appetite, frequent bowel movements/diarrhea, colic, depression, weakness, loss of coordination, stupor, leg paralysis, weak heart rate and recumbency for 2 or more days; at this point, improvement may be seen or the animal may become comatose and die. Watering of eyes and nose, nausea, vomiting, sweating, abdominal pain, headache, tingling of the skin, convulsions, cardiac failure