Rhododendron Columbianum, Western labrador tea
Plants > Wildflowers > Ericaceae > Rhododendron Columbianum
Common names:
Western labrador tea, trapper's tea
Family:
Scientific name:
Rhododendron columbianum
Synonym:
Ledum glandulosum
Main flower color:
Range:
Mountainous regions of the west, from the Pacific states to Montana, Wyoming and Utah
Height:
Between 2 and 6 feet
Habitat:
Moist locations on mountainides
Leaves:
Bright green, ovate, closely-spaced, up to 2.5 inches long; hairy underneath
Season:
June to August
In summer, rhododendron columbianum (formerly ledum glandulosum) produces attractive, rounded clusters of white flowers, growing at the tips of the leafy branches. Individual flower heads have five small petals, less than half an inch in length, and from 8 to 10 longer white stamens, topped by yellowish-brown anthers. Flower centers have a greenish tint. The plant is relatively common, found in bogs and other moist places in the high mountains of the Pacific and northern Rocky Mountain states. Leaf branches are stout and woody.
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