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Kalmia latifolia is an evergreen shrub growing 3–9 m (9.8–29.5 ft) tall. The leaves are 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm wide. The flowers are hexagonal, sometimes appearing to be pentagonal, ranging from light pink to white, and occur in clusters. There are several named cultivars that have darker shades of pink, red and maroon. It blooms in ...
The Virginia Native Plant Society named Mountain Laurel as Wildflower of the Year in 1994. Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) Its glossy, leathery leaves make lovely winter-season decorations that were so popular in the early twentieth century that Connecticut passed a law in 1917 to protect Mountain Laurels from being stolen from private ...
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May 15, 2021 · Mountain laurel is one of my favorite plant species in Virginia for a number of reasons. It has a whimsical growth structure of crooked and swooping branches, forming a dense rounded crown of glossy, dark-green leaves. Its bark is distinctive, made up of long, thin strips of reddish-brown paper-like bark all layered on top of each other.
May 24, 2015 · Honey made from the flowers can cause heart arrhythmia and convulsions and has been known throughout history as “mad honey”. Other common names for this shrub suggest the known toxicity: sheep laurel and lambkill. Like flame azalea or wild blueberry, mountain laurel is a member of the Heath family and prefers acid soils.
Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It is the namesake of Laurel County in Kentucky and the city of Laurel, Mississippi (founded 1882). Sources and Credits
Aug 16, 2023 · Mountain Laurel is characterized by: Leaves: Glossy, dark green, leathery leaves that remain on the plant year-round. Flowers: Striking clusters of pink or white cup-shaped flowers with intricate patterns inside. Stems: Woody stems that can grow up to 15 feet tall, with a dense, rounded form. Fruits: Brown, woody capsules containing numerous seeds.
Cultivation. Mountain laurel is a member of the heath or heather family, Ericaceae. This family includes rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, and cranberries, all of which are woody shrubs that thrive in moist, well-drained acidic soil. Mountain laurel will grow in USDA Zones 5 to 9 in deep shade to full sun, but it does best in moderate to ...
