Labrador Tea
Ledum groenlandicum

Labrador Tea is an evergreen shrub which is common in the Muskegs around Sitka. As the name implies, a tea can be made out of the dried leaves though Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast cautions that this should be done carefully and in moderation since large doses act as a strong diuretic or a cathartic and the plant is similar in appearance to other plants which contain toxic alkaloids such as the western bog-laurel.

Picture taken around first week of July 1998 in muskeg near Indian River.