Why is the mountain laurel the state flower of Pennsylvania?
Governor Gifford Pinchot decided the choice of the official State flower in the 1930s. The General Assembly had passed two bills each naming a different favorite shrub-(Mountain laurel and the Pink azalea). Mountain laurel is a member of the heath family (Ericaceae).
Can mountain laurel grow in Pennsylvania?
Mountain laurel in Pennsylvania normally begins to bloom late in May and its pink and white blossoms are in evidence well into June. It is one of a few broadleaved plants native to Pennsylvania whose leaves are evergreen and do not fall to the ground during the winter months.
Is it illegal to pick mountain laurel in Pennsylvania?
Here is what the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation says about Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel): But there are no legal restrictions on the cultivation of Mountain laurel.” So, if you have a friend with a mountain laurel, you can pick the flowers with no penalty if they don’t mind.
Is mountain laurel a state flower?
Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It is the namesake of Laurel County in Kentucky, the city of Laurel, Mississippi, and the Laurel Highlands in southwestern Pennsylvania….
| Kalmia latifolia | |
|---|---|
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Kalmia |
| Species: | K. latifolia |
| Binomial name |
What time of year does mountain laurel bloom?
spring
One often overlooked option is mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia). This shade-tolerant North American shrub has gorgeous flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer. A close relative of rhododendrons and azaleas, it’s an excellent choice for a shady garden.
Does mountain laurel have a scent?
Another fragrant native is Texas mountain laurel, designated a Texas Superstar plant, with its glossy green leaves and long clusters of purple blooms that smell like grape juice. It is a prolific bloomer of fragrant, white flowers in early spring and can grow up to 50 feet.
Where can you find mountain laurel in PA?
These large rhododendron-like leaves remain dark green throughout the year and in late May to mid June they can be seen blossoming throughout Pennsylvania’s forestlands. But your best bet is to visit the beautiful Laurel Fields in Clear Creek State Forest, just north of Brookville in Jefferson County.
What time of year do mountain laurels bloom?
What is the state flower of Pennsylvania look like?
mountain laurel
The mountain laurel has been the state flower of Pennsylvania since 1933. The mountain laurel is actually an evergreen shrub, exhibiting pink and white flowers in the shape of five-point stars.
What is the PA state plant?
Mountain Laurel
State Flower: Mountain Laurel Mountain laurel is an evergreen shrub native to the eastern United States. Its fragrant star-shaped white and pink flowers have attracted travelers since early colonial days. Each spring, Pennsylvania’s mountainsides come alive with the pink blooms of mountain laurel.
Why does a mountain laurel not bloom?
Environmental factors that can cause Texas mountain laurel to not bloom include too much shade, waterlogged or heavy clay soil, and too much nitrogen. Another common reason why Texas mountain laurel has never bloomed is too much nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes leafy green growth on plants, not bloom or root development.
Does mountain laurel bloom every other year?
While the flowers, which bloom in late spring, are its most distinctive feature, mountain laurel stays green all year and provides uninterrupted interest with prominent buds that precede the flowers and brown seedpods which appear in late summer and remain on the plant throughout the winter.