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Kalmia microphylla
Also called Bog Laurel, Alpine Bog Laurel, Western Bog Laurel, Western Swamp Laurel
Kalmia microphylla, known as alpine laurel, bog laurel, swamp-laurel, western bog-laurel or western laurel, is a species of Kalmia of the family Ericaceae. It is native to North America and can be found throughout the western US and western and central Canada below the subarctic.
This is a perennial species and has active growth during spring and summer. These plants can frequently be found in alpine meadows, open wet areas and bogs. The habitat in which it optimally grows in open heath or shrublands with moist soil. The soil must have very low levels of calcium carbonate because the plant is intolerant of alkaline conditions. Distribution of Kalmia microphylla ranges from Alaska to California and now has expanded through much of northern Canada.
The kalmias are very poisonous plants, containing grayanotoxin. Kalmia microphylla has also been used for medicinal purposes in creating external washes for skin diseases.
Sheep laurel · Sand Myrtle · Whitewicky · Hairy laurel · Mountain laurel · Bog laurel · Trailing Azalea · Laurel
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Kalmia microphylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
