Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Blue Ice Bog Rosemary

Description:

A very small shrub for detail use in gardens, icy blue needle-like foliage and pink urn-shaped flowers in spring; very fastidious as to growing conditions, needs moist well drained acidic soil.

Ornamental Features

Blue Ice Andromeda features dainty nodding white bell-shaped flowers with shell pink overtones at the ends of the branches from mid to late spring. It has attractive powder blue deciduous foliage. The needle-like leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Ice Andromeda is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Ice Andromeda is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Blue Ice Andromeda will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.