Rhododendron groenlandicum (Oeder) K.A. Kron & W.S. Judd
Labrador tea (bog Labrador tea)
Ericaceae (Crowberry family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Rod Innes     (Photo ID #22465)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Rhododendron groenlandicum
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Erect shrub; stems 0.5-1.5 m tall, rusty soft-hairy.
Leaves:
Alternate, evergreen, leathery, oblong to lance-oblong or elliptic, (1.2) 2-6 cm long, 3-15 mm wide, margins strongly to slightly rolled under, tips blunt, upper surface deep green, appearing somewhat wrinkled, glabrous to slightly reddish soft-hairy, copiously rusty or yellowish soft-hairy beneath; stalks 1-5 mm long.
Flowers:
In terminal umbrella-like clusters; flower stalks (0.6) 1.2-2.5 cm long, with short, white hairs (rarely with a few contorted, reddish hairs), often glandular, curved in fruit; corollas white, wheel-shaped, 10-12 mm across, the 5 distinct petals spreading, oblong, and 5-8 mm long; calyces less than 1 mm long, minutely white-hairy on margins, sometimes glandular; stamens 5-8, slightly exceeding the styles, filaments glabrous or sometimes hairy at the base.
Fruits:
Capsules, narrowly egg-shaped, 4-7 mm long, minutely hairy.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Rhododendron groenlandicum

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
853 5 1950
Slope Gradient (%)
8 0 173

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

352 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 0 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
2704
Modal BEC Zone Class
BWBS

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BAFA(1), BWBS(872), CDF(11), CWH(382), ESSF(194), ICH(131), IDF(23), MH(13), MS(115), SBPS(71), SBS(513), SWB(174)

Habitat and Range

Bogs and moist to wet forests in the lowland and montane zones; common throughout most of BC, infrequent in SC BC; N to AK, E to NF, and S to OR, MN, PA, and NJ.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Ledum groenlandicum Oeder
Ledum palustre var. latifolium (Jacq.) Michx.