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Bog Laurel Kalmia polifolia

Other Common Name(s):

This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

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:
Tags:
#evergreen#pink flowers#shade garden#blue-green leaves#evergreen shrub#evergreen groundcover#wet soils tolerant#flood tolerant#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#heavy shade tolerant#boggy sites
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#pink flowers#shade garden#blue-green leaves#evergreen shrub#evergreen groundcover#wet soils tolerant#flood tolerant#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#heavy shade tolerant#boggy sites
  • 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.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Prostrate
  • 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
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Woody capsule
  • 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.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Green
    Hairs Present:
    No
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Wet Soil
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
  • 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