Pennsylvania State Flower

Mountain Laurel (common name)
Kalmia latifolia (scientific name)

Overview

The mountain laurel is a tall evergreen shrub considered one the most beautiful of the endemic American shrubs. It is found on rocky hillsides in the wild but is also a common ornamental plant due to its showy clusters of pink flowers that contrast nicely with its dark green leaves. Native Americans used to make spoons out of mountain laurels and called the plant "spoon wood." The plant was recorded in John Smith’s General History of Virginia, but it was not named until 1750. The laurel was brought to Europe as an ornamental plant during the 18th century and was designated the state flower of Pennsylvania in 1933.

Close-up

STATUS

Official

ALSO KNOWN AS

Ivybush, calico bush, sheep laurel, lambkill, clamoun, spoon wood

PHYSICAL DETAILS

Duration: Perennial
Plant: Shrub
Mature Height: 5–30 feet (1.5–9 m) tall
Flowering: May to June
Flowers: 3/4 to 1 inch (1.9–2.5 cm) blooms at the end of branch tips; star-shaped clusters 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) in diameter.
Flower Color: White and pink
Leaves: shiny dark green; elliptical; 2–5 inches (3–12 cm) long; 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches (1–4 cm) wide
Fruit/Seed Color: Brown

HABITAT

Location: rocky slopes, water edges, and the edges of mountainous forest areas where light filters through the forest canopy.
Range: From Indiana to Maine in the north and from Louisiana to Florida in the south (threatened in Florida, Maine, and New York).

TRIVIA

• The mountain laurel is considered a symbol of ambition.
• All parts of the plant (flowers, green parts, twigs, and pollen) are poisonous to humans if ingested.
• The mountain laurel can live for up to a century.

Click to enlarge an image

Mountain Laurel

Mountain Laurel Bush

Close-up of Mountain Laurel Flower

CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:	Plantae
Phylum:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Kalmia
Species:	K. latifolia

Author: World Trade Press