Andromeda polifolia ‘Blue Ice’
Overview
Uses: Rock gardens, bog and rain garden edges, low borders, and outdoor containers.
Benefits: A slow-growing, low mound of needle-fine, icy blue evergreen foliage that holds its color all winter. Clusters of nodding pink-blushed bell flowers dangle from the branch tips in spring. Native across northern North America and happiest in cool, moist, acidic soil.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Spreading — low and fine-textured.
Bloom Color: Pale Pink to White
Foliage Color: Icy Blue
Mature Height: 12–24 inches
Mature Width: 2–3 feet
Bloom Season: Spring
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
Cool blue foliage for the spots that stay damp.
Bog rosemary grows wild in peat bogs and along wet northern shorelines, and Blue Ice is the selection gardeners reach for when they want that look in a garden. Its narrow, needle-fine leaves are a frosted blue-gray that stands out against green neighbors and stays blue straight through winter.
In spring, small clusters of urn-shaped flowers hang from the branch tips like tiny bells. They open pale pink and fade toward white, a delicate show up close that suits a path edge or a rock garden where you can see it at eye level.
The plant stays low and fine-textured, building slowly into a mound about one to two feet tall and two to three feet wide. It looks at home with ferns, heaths, heathers, dwarf conifers, and other acid-loving plants, and it fills the cool, moist pockets where many shrubs would sulk.
Care
Blue Ice Bog Rosemary Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. In northern gardens full sun gives the best blue color and the most flowers; where summers run hot, afternoon shade keeps the foliage from scorching.
Bog rosemary needs acidic soil that stays evenly moist. Work in peat, compost, or shredded pine bark at planting, and avoid alkaline soil or spots near concrete foundations. It does best where summers are relatively cool, and it struggles in the heat and humidity of the Deep South.
Keep the soil consistently moist, especially through the first growing season. Established plants still prefer moisture and should not be allowed to dry out completely. A layer of pine bark or pine needle mulch helps hold moisture and keeps the shallow roots cool.
Feeding needs are minimal. If growth looks pale, a light application of a slow release fertilizer made for acid-loving plants in spring is enough.
Pruning is rarely needed. Snip any stray or winter-damaged tips after the plant flowers.
Growing in Containers
The compact size suits containers, troughs, and patio pots. Use an acidic, peat-based or bark-based potting mix in a pot with drainage holes, and keep it consistently moist, since containers dry out much faster than boggy ground. Feed lightly in spring. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Blue Ice Bog Rosemary for Sale Online?
Our Blue Ice Bog Rosemary ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. It may arrive with some winter bronzing on the foliage in the off-season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Blue Ice Bog Rosemary Grow?
Expect about 12 to 24 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity, in a low, spreading mound. Growth is slow, so it holds its size in a small space for years. Space plants about 2 feet apart for a low groundcover drift.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
It is most often called bog rosemary, and is also known as marsh andromeda.
Is Blue Ice Bog Rosemary a native plant?
It is a selection of Andromeda polifolia, which grows in bogs and wet places across Canada and the northern United States, as well as in northern Europe and Asia. Selections like this one are often called nativars. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Does it need a bog garden?
No. It needs soil that stays evenly moist and acidic, which a bog garden provides, but it also grows well in an amended bed, a rain garden edge, or a large container where you can control moisture. What it will not tolerate is soil that dries out for long stretches or soil with a high pH.
Will deer eat it?
Deer rarely browse bog rosemary, which makes it useful in gardens with regular deer pressure. See our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens for more options.
Does it stay blue in winter?
Yes. The foliage holds its blue-gray color year-round, so it keeps adding color to a bed after perennials have died back. For more plants with winter foliage, see our Evergreen Plants.
