Mountain Laurel

Mountain Laurel

(Kalmia Latifolia)

This particular shrub can be found all near my family's summer cabin, growing on the slope right in front of the road. It can also be found all along the road down to the river.

Mountain Laurel is a large shrub native to North America. It grows in large stands of its own species, crowding together closely. They can get pretty large for shrubs, almost 20ft at most. They can be found all over CT, both wild and planted. They prefer partial shade and moist soil, either rocky or sandy.

I'm partial to these plants because they are actually CT's state flower, but it's for good reason. They produce beautiful umbrella-shaped white and pink flowers and have shiny dark green leaves. Their branches are straight and crooked, forming nice patterns and the bark a nice shade of reddish-brown. Although they're beautiful, they're actually incredibly poisonous! Every single part of the plant can be fatal if ingested.