Andromeda: bog rosemary
One or perhaps 2 species distributed throughout the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere; the European and Asia plant is A. polifolia*. North American plants are sometimes treated as a separate species, A. glaucophylla, although the differences between the American plants and those from Eurasian populations are minor ones.
Dwarf, evergreen shrubs requiring acid soil. They have elliptic leathery leaves and small, urn-shaped pink or white flowers in late spring and early summer. Suitable for USDA hardiness zone 2.
Very like A. polifolia, but with longer leaves which are white and densely hairy underneath.
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* Etymology
Andromeda was named by Carl Linnaeus: see E. C. Nelson 2007. Carl Linnaeus: a tercentenary celebration. Heathers 4: 1–3. polifolia refers to the foliage of a plant called 'Polium', and does not signify numerous leaves: see E. C. Nelson and P. H. Oswald, 2005. Polifolia revisited and explained. Huntia 12 (1): 5–11.
Andromeda was named by Carl Linnaeus: see E. C. Nelson 2007. Carl Linnaeus: a tercentenary celebration. Heathers 4: 1–3. polifolia refers to the foliage of a plant called 'Polium', and does not signify numerous leaves: see E. C. Nelson and P. H. Oswald, 2005. Polifolia revisited and explained. Huntia 12 (1): 5–11.