WorldFloraDB - Kalmia polifolia

Characteristics

Shrubs erect, to 1 m. Twigs slightly flattened, 2-angled, viscid, glabrous or puberulent in decurrent, ciliolate lines from petiole base. Leaves opposite; petiole 0.1-3 mm, glabrous or puberulent (base ciliate); blade usually oblong to linear, sometimes oval, 1.5-4.5 × 0.3-1.5 cm, margins usually revolute, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface puberulent, adaxial glabrate with puberulent bands on either side of midrib, midribs on both surfaces covered with purple, clavate trichomes. Inflorescences solitary flowers or terminal, corymbiform racemes, 3-8(-17)-flowered. Pedicels 15-30 mm. Flowers: sepals pale, translucent, white to light pink, ovate, 2.9-4 mm, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous, margins ciliate; petals connate their entire lengths, usually rose-purple or pink, rarely white, 9-11 × 12-18 mm, glabrous except puberulent near base abaxially; filaments 4-5 mm; style 4.5-7 mm. Capsules 5-locular, 4-6 × 4-7 mm, glabrous. Seeds winged, oblong, 1.5-2.2 mm. 2n = 48.

More

Sparingly branched shrub to 1 m, with sharply 2-edged twigs; lvs opposite, subsessile, leathery, linear to lanceolate, 1–4 cm, revolute, whitened beneath with very fine hairs; fls from the upper axils, each subtended by a short folded bract, on pedicels 1–3 cm, forming a terminal corymbiform cluster; sep broadly ovate, imbricate, 3 mm; cor rose-purple, 10–16 mm wide; fr subglobose, 6–7 mm; 2n=48. Bogs; Lab. to Alas., s. to n. N.J., Mich., Minn., and Calif. May, June.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

shrub

Growth support

free-standing

Foliage retention

evergreen

Sexuality

hermaphrodite

Pollination

entomogamy

Spread

-

Mature width (meter)

0.5 - 1.0

Mature height (meter)

0.5

Root system

-

Rooting depth (meter)

0.3

Root diameter (meter)

-

Flower color

Blooming months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Fruit color

-

Fruiting months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Nitrogen fixer

-

Photosynthetic pathway

c3

Environment

Cold peat bogs and other wet places.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

Uses	environmental use medicinal
Edible	-
Therapeutic use	Unspecified (leaf), Poison (leaf), Antihemorrhagic (leaf), Dermatological Aid (leaf), Unspecified (unspecified), Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Sore (unspecified), Wound (unspecified), Hemoptysis (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	30 - 60
Germination temperacture (C°)	21
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	stratification
Minimum temperature (C°)	-38
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-