Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia Linnaeus    
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Ericales   >   Family Ericaceae   >   Genus Kalmia   

Status:

Mountain Laurel is an evergreen shrub. It is not a true laurel, but rather is a member of the Heath Family.

Description:

Floral display of white or pinkish flowers in spring is striking.

Where to find:

Mountain Laurel tends to grow on dry hillsides in wooded areas. Its foliage is toxic, normally protecting it from deer browse. Thus it often grows in dense stands.

Relationships:

Host plant for Laurel Sphinx Moth (Database of World's Lepidopteran Host Plants).

Host to the fungus Mycosphaerella colorata.

There are 1,129 records in the project database.

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Mountain Laurel blooming in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/27/2018). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (5/15/2017). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel blooming in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2016). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in bloom in a bog in western Garrett Co., Maryland (6/16/2007). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

Mountain Laurel blooming in Howard Co., Maryland (5/28/2013). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/28/2015). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Calvert Co., Maryland (12/18/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/18/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A bower of Mountain Laurel along a path in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/3/2017). Photo by Bill Hill. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel growing in Harford Co., Maryland (3/28/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Calvert Co., Maryland (11/24/2017). Photo by Edwin Guevara. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel sensing the approach of spring in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/18/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in fruit in Harford Co., Maryland (8/28/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Howard Co., Maryland (6/16/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Cecil Co., Maryland (5/27/2018). (c) Ari Rice, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ari Rice via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/22/2019). (c) Fluff Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Photo by Fluff Berger via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/8/2020). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/6/2020). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/6/2020). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Mountain Laurel leaves with Mountain Laurel Leaf Spot in Caroline Co., Maryland (2/28/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)


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