Mountain-laurel
Flowers from another Kalmia latifolia 'Carousel' on campus.
Kalmia latifolia
MOUNTAIN-LAUREL
Ericaceae
E. North America
Location: map coordinates T-11 (north side of Herbarium, Washington Building), N 39°11'7'' W 75°32'45''
Planting history: planted 4/18/13 Arbor Day. Source: Ronny’s Garden World. Gift from Arbor Day Foundation.
Description:
Native species, State Rank S5 (very common in Delaware)
MOUNTAIN-LAUREL
Ericaceae
E. North America
Location: map coordinates T-11 (north side of Herbarium, Washington Building), N 39°11'7'' W 75°32'45''
Planting history: planted 4/18/13 Arbor Day. Source: Ronny’s Garden World. Gift from Arbor Day Foundation.
Description:
- evergreen shrub
- etymology: Kalmia named by Linnaeus for his student the Swedish/Finnish botanist Pehr (Peter) Kalm (1716-1779), who explored eastern N. America in the 1700’s; latifolia = wide-leaved
- leaves alternate, simple, elliptical, to 5” long
- flowers attractive; in the species, white to light pink; in this cultivar ‘Carousel’, flower has purplish band near the inner upper edge
- stamens tucked into indentations in the petals; stamens “released” when insect pollinator lands on the flower, depositing pollen on the pollinator
- fruit dry capsule
- toxic to various animals (e.g. horses, deer, humans)
- can form large thickets on moist woodland slopes; acidic soils
- native range from S. Maine to N. Florida, west to Indiana and Louisana
Native species, State Rank S5 (very common in Delaware)
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