About Andromeda polifolia L.
Andromeda polifolia L. is a small shrub that typically grows 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) tall, and rarely reaches up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) tall. It has slender stems, and its evergreen leaves are alternately arranged and lanceolate. The leaves are 1 to 5 centimeters (1/2 to 2 inches) long and 2 to 8 millimeters (0.08 to 0.31 inches) broad. They are dark green on the upper surface, which turns purplish in winter, white on the lower surface, and have margins that curl under. Its flowers are bell-shaped, white to pink, and 5 to 8 millimeters (0.20 to 0.31 inches) long. Flowering occurs from late spring to early summer. The fruit is a small capsule that holds numerous seeds.
This species has two varieties, which some botanists classify as separate distinct species. The first is Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia, which is found in northern Europe and Asia, and northwestern North America. The second is Andromeda polifolia var. latifolia Aiton [1789], which is native to northeastern North America; this variety has synonyms including A. glaucophylla Link [1821] and A. polifolia var. glaucophylla (Link) DC. [1839].
Numerous cultivars of Andromeda polifolia have been developed for ornamental garden use. All cultivars require damp acid soil and a shaded location, and like most other species in the family Ericaceae, they are acid-loving calcifuge plants that must be grown in growing medium with a low pH. The cultivars 'Compacta' and 'Macrophylla' have earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
