Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia), Pacific northwest native shrub

Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia (Bog Rosemary)

Kingdom	:	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	:	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	:	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass	:	Dilleniidae
Order	:	Ericales
Family	:	Ericaceae – Heath family
Genus	:	Andromeda L. – bog rosemary
Species	:	Andromeda polifolia L. – bog rosemary
Variety	:	Andromeda polifolia L. var. polifolia – bog rosemary

Note: Throughout the years I've written short articles for our website's home pages (home pages are the front page of a website) about these plants. They are now included at the bottom of this page, and are illustrated by botanical drawings and paintings, some of which are from books published from 1500 - 1900.

An outstanding evergreen native for wet sites, Bog Rosemary is found across North America and is hardy from USDA zones 2-9.

This low-growing shrub has soft pink flowers that hang like fairy bells from the narrow, leathery, ½ - 1” leaves.

It spreads by rhizomes and contains dangerous toxic compounds so must not be eaten.

Bog Rosemary prefers sun and as it likes moisture and acidity, add a mixture of wet peat moss and compost to the planting hole.

Bog Rosemary’s beauty interrupts the vast swamplands in which it grows, much as the beauty of its namesake, the Greek heroine, stood out against the ocean when her parents ruthlessly tied her to the rocks as a sacrifice to the sea-monster.

	From Homepage February 24, 2008 Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia) is an evergreen shrub native to the northwest. It has spread across North America in USDA zones 2-9. A lovely understory shrub for wet areas, this beauty is most comfortable in sun. As it prefers acid soil, mix up some compost and peat moss for in the planting hole to give it a good start. Native companions for Bog Rosemary include the wetland sedges, Labrador Tea (Ledum glandulosum), Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia) and Cattails (Typha latifolia). Though this delightful shrub resembles the herb Rosemary, it is not edible. In fact, ingestion of Bog Rosemary can cause very unpleasant stomach upsets. Suggested locations in the garden for Bog Rosemary: Beneath a garden hose hanger. Around a downspout splashblock. Edging an in-ground pond. A bog garden, either containerized or planted out. Below a birdbath.
Interesting companion plants for Bog Rosemary (shown below), these sedges and cattails would be attractive and practical as companions to the Bog Rosemary. All are from old botanical journals painted by various artists.

Sandstarr (Carex arenaria)		Cattail (Typha latifolia)	Svedstarr (Carex atrofusca) & Svartstarr (Carex atrata)	Skarpstarr (Carex gracilis)

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