Bog Laurel Kalmia polifolia
Other Common Name(s):
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Bog Laurel is a low mat-forming evergreen in the heath family with showy pink bell-shaped flowers. It is shade and flood tolerant. Propagate by seeds or stem cuttings in the summer.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Kalmia
- Species:
- polifolia
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Sub Arctic North America
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Prostrate
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Woody capsule
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Description:
- Showy pink bell-shaped flowers appear in clusters of 2-5 blooms May-June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Hairs Present:
- No
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- 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
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Andromedotoxin, arbutin, Grayanotoxin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
