Native 📍 Statewide
Labrador Tea
Rhododendron groenlandicum
A low-growing shrub of bogs and wet forests, recognizable by its leathery evergreen leaves with rusty-orange undersides. The small white flower clusters are among the first to bloom in spring. The dried leaves have been used as tea by Alaska Native peoples for generations.
Bloom Calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
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Jun
🌸
Jul
🌸
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Wildlife Relationships
🐝 Moose (primary winter browse)🐝 Spruce grouse🐝 Various native bees
Pollinator Support: Good — early spring nectar source when few other flowers are available
Traditional & Medicinal Uses
- ✦ Traditional tea — leaves steeped for medicinal and culinary use
- ✦ Important winter food for moose
- ✦ Used to treat colds and headaches
* Traditional knowledge shared respectfully. Always consult experts before consuming wild plants.
Growing in Alaska
Wet, acidic, organic soils. Bogs and wet tundra. Very cold-hardy.