Northern Labrador tea, Marsh Tea, Marsh rosemary
Ledum palustre

Family: Ericaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub. It grows 0.3-1.2 m high. The young shoots are covered in red-brown hairs. The leaves are oblong and dark green with their edges curled inwards. The leaves have red-brown hairs underneath. The flowers are white and are in clusters at the ends of branches.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in conifer forests and wet meadows between 400-1,400 m above sea level in north China. It suits hardiness zones 2-8.

Countries/locations it is found in

Arctic, Asia, Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, Estonia, Europe, Lithuania, Mongolia, North America, North Korea, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Sweden, Ukraine, USA

How it is used for food

CAUTION: The leaves are dried and used for tea. The aerial parts are added to beer and liqueurs.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea, leaves - spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Crystal tea, Finnmarkspors, Marsh ledum, Sookail, Sookikas, Sookaer, Wild rosemary

Synonyms

Ledum palustre var. angustum E. A. Busch.; Ledum tomentosum Stokes; Rhododendron palustre (L.) Kron & Judd; Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja;