Mountain-Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
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Mountain-laurel grows throughout the Appalachians, from southeastern Maine to the Florida panhandle and eastern Louisiana. It also grows in southern Ontario. Its native range includes southern Ontario and the Ohio River Valley to the Florida panhandle and eastern Louisiana. It tolerates a wide range of light conditions and thrives in cool, moist, well-drained soils.
Fruit: A 5-valved, 3/16" dehiscent capsule. They are brown and non-showy. They are available September-October and persist through winter. Each capsule contains 300-700 seeds.
Flowers: A saucer shaped, white, rose, or pink flower on a corymb. A purple spot is usually present. Each flower is less than 1", and a full corymb is 4"-6". Flowers are in terminal or axillary clusters. They bloom in late spring to early summer and persist through winter. If the flower goes unpollinated, the anther will self-release pollen onto the pistil.
Uses: Because of their toxicity, mountain-laurel is rarely used in modern herbal medicine. A yellow dye can be made from the leaves.
Ethnobotany: Mountain-laurel is poisonous to humans and were used by some Native American tribes to commit suicide. The leaves have also been used medicinally as an astringent, a disinfectant, and more.
Importance to wildlife: Because mountain-laurels are typically dense shrubs, they provide winter cover. Pollinators are attracted to the showy flowers. The leaves are toxic to domestic livestock, but white-tailed deer browse the leaves and twigs in the winter and early spring. Mountain-laurel is a larval host for Laurel Sphinx.
The full mountain-laurel plant. It can be classified as either a small tree or a shrub. Notice the main stems dividing near the ground. They grow slowly, usually reaching 6-10 feet tall. Occasionally, especially on the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains, they can grow up to 32 feet.
Young bark of a mountain-laurel. Bark is divided into long, narrow sheets.
Older bark of a mountain-laurel. As the bark ages, it begins to shed in long sheets.
Leaf arrangement on a mountain-laurel. Leaves are alternate but tend to crowd near the tip of the twig, as seen here, making the arrangement less clear.
A single leaf on a mountain-laurel. Leaves are 5-10 cm long, flat, leathery, dark green and glabrous above, and yellowish green and glabrous beneath. Mountain-laurels are evergreen.
The fruit of a mountain-laurel. Fruit is a 5-valved, brown capsule.
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