What is Mountain Laurel?
Sometimes referred to as spoonwood, mountain laurel is a plant that is found along the eastern seaboard of the United States. This flowering plant can be found as far west as into the Great Lakes area, and can grow to a height of nine meters. The flowers found on mountain laurel come hues that range from pure white to a bright red and are contrasted with the lush green leaves on the plant. While beautiful, mountain laurel is a poisonous plant that should be kept away from pets and other forms of wildlife. Mountain laurel was first discovered in the early 17th century and was quickly exported to Europe as a hardy ornamental plant that could thrive in cool conditions. The vibrant flowers added color to many gardens across the continent and are still popular choices for landscaping in many parts of the world today. The evergreen leaves of the mountain laurel also make it an attractive addition even when the plant is not in bloom. While Kalmia latfolia or mountain laurel is an extremely be
Almost every trail guide I read about North Georgia destinations talks about the rhododendron and mountain laurel lining the trail. Rhododendron is easy to identify because of the big, waxy, oblong leaves but I’ve never had a clue what mountain laurel looked like. So in an attempt to educate myself and my loyal readers (again, all two of you), I’ve done a little digging around.
