Virginia Tech Dendrology

bog laurel Ericaceae Kalmia polifolia Wangenh. symbol: KAPO
Leaf: Opposite, occasionally whorled, evergreen, lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, distinctly rolled leaf edges, leathery, shiny dark green above, nearly white below.
Flower: Terminal cluster of pretty pink to purple (occasionally white), bell-shaped flowers each 3/8 inch across; appear in late spring.
Fruit: Small, 5-parted, round (a bit urn-shaped), woody capsules, ripen in early fall and persistent through the winter and into spring.
Twig: Slender, reddish brown to gray, two edged or lined, buds reddish brown, round.
Bark: Grayish brown, smooth with a few shallow fissures.
Form: Small shrub up to 2 feet tall, often falling over and matted.
Looks like: alpine laurel - sheep laurel - bog rosemary - Labrador tea

Additional Range Information: Kalmia polifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information