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  2. Trees and Shrubs of South Mountain Reservation
  3. Mountain Laurel

Mountain Laurel

Kalmia latifolia

Summary 5

Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel, calico-bush, or spoonwood, is a broadleaved evergreen shrub in the heather family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Kalmia latifolia is an evergreen shrub growing 3–9 m (9.8–29.5 ft) tall. The plant blooms in May and June. The flowers are hexagonal, sometimes appearing to be pentagonal, ranging from light pink to white, and occur in clusters. It is naturally found on rocky slopes and mountainous forest areas. It thrives in acid soil, preferring a soil pH in the 4.5 to 5.5 range. The plant often grows in large thickets, covering great areas of forest floor. In the Appalachians, it can become a tree but is a shrub farther north.

Mountain laurel is poisonous to several animals, including horses, goats, cattle, deer, monkeys, and humans. The green parts of the plant, flowers, twigs, and pollen are all toxic. The Cherokee use the plant as an analgesic, placing an infusion of leaves on scratches made over location of the pain. They also rub the bristly edges of ten to twelve leaves over the skin for rheumatism, crush the leaves to rub brier scratches, use an infusion as a wash "to get rid of pests", use a compound as a liniment, rub leaf ooze into the scratched skin of ball players to prevent cramps, and use a leaf salve for healing.

Fontes e Créditos

  1. (c) maryellenhannibal, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), uploaded by maryellenhannibal
  2. (c) Cyndy Sims Parr, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Cyndy Sims Parr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyanocorax/8928110161/
  3. (c) kirbyadams, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), uploaded by kirbyadams
  4. (c) Ashley M Bradford, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ashley M Bradford
  5. Adaptado por Tom Pollard de uma obra de (c) Wikipedia, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalmia_latifolia

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