Labrador Tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum): Aromatic Bog Shrub of Northern Forests

Botanical Profile

Family: Ericaceae (er-ek-AY-see-ee)
Genus: Rhododendron (roh-do-DEN-dron)
Species: groenlandicum (green-LAND-ee-kum)
Synonym: Ledum groenlandicum

Description

Labrador tea (also called marsh tea or swamp tea) is an evergreen shrub native to bogs, muskegs, and wet coniferous forests across northern North America. It grows 2–4 feet tall with leathery, narrow leaves that are dark green above and densely covered in rusty-brown woolly hairs beneath—the key identification feature. In late spring to early summer, it produces terminal clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers.

Traditional & Modern Uses

The leaves are used to make a fragrant, slightly astringent tea—traditional beverage of Indigenous peoples and early fur traders. Contains ledol and other compounds with antimicrobial properties. Caution: Large quantities can be toxic due to grayanotoxins; moderate consumption as tea is generally safe. The foliage is also used in potpourri and for essential oil.

Cultivation

Requires acidic (pH 4.0–5.5), consistently moist to wet, organic soil. Full sun to partial shade. Hardy in zones 2–6. Difficult to establish in garden conditions; best suited for bog gardens, native restorations, and naturalistic wetland plantings.