Habitat

• cosmopolitan species, native to N. Europe, N. Asia and northern North America
• hardy to zone 2, dislikes heat/humidity and suffers south of zone 6
• inhabits peaty and sandy bogs

Habit and Form

• evergreen
• small subshrub or groundcover, to 2' tall and slightly wider
• creeping rootstock
• few side branches

Summer Foliage

• alternate, simple, evergreen leaves
• pointed tip, leaf margin recurved
• dark blue/green color

Autumn Foliage

• foliage is evergreen, thus no color is developed

Flowers

• urn-shaped, white with hints of pink
• borne in May in terminal umbels

Fruit

• brown capsule, no ornamental value

Bark

• gray/brown, smooth stems

Culture

• requires peaty, sandy soil
• soil should remain constantly moist
• cool soil and climate preferred
• difficult to grow as not adaptable

Landscape Uses

• naturalized situations
• edging plant in soils that permit growth

Liabilities

• difficult to replicate preferred growing conditions
• dislikes heat and humidity
• best in areas with cool summers
• will not tolerate drought

ID Features

• low, groundcover-like habit
• evergreen leaves are narrow with recurved margin
• distinctive bluish leaves and pinkish urn-like blooms

Propagation

• by seed
• division of clumps
• rooted cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Blue Ice' - Intense slate blue leaf color. Popular in the trade.

'Nana' - Dwarf habit, perhaps no taller than 18".