Bog rosemary plants, also known as marsh Andromeda because of the species name, are creeping evergreens. Low to the ground (no taller than a couple of feet), they thrive in soggy areas in the landscape. This native is found growing wild in the northeast United States. It also is native to parts of Europe and Asia. The new growth of these marsh Andromeda shrubs is usually lime green, although sometimes you find reddish hues. The growth is covered with a waxy film, and matures into a deep green or blue green with pale downy undersides. The leaves of bog rosemary plants are shiny and leathery. The foliage contains andromedotoxin, a powerful poison, so bog rosemary plants are rarely nibbled on by animals. Bog rosemary blossoms are unusual flowers. You’ll see a half-dozen tiny urn-shaped flowers growing together in a cluster at each stem tip. The flowers appear in May, each about ¼ inch long and pale pink. The fruits of marsh Andromeda are small bluish dried capsules that turn brown in October. Neither the flowers nor the seeds are particularly showy.
