THE MOUNTAIN LAUREL 



WITH the possible exception of the Rhododendron, no American shrub is 

 more beautiful when in blossom than the Mountain Laurel, which is widely- 

 distributed over the eastern region of North America, ranging from New 

 Brunswick to Florida, and extending westward to Ohio and Tennessee. It is a favorite 

 with every lover of the woods who has seen it in blossom, or has even come across the 

 shining green decorative leaves at any season. It is by no means generally distributed 

 over the region indicated, being found especially in hilly localities, but often being only 

 local, even there. Many people who have never seen it growing wild, know it because of 

 its popularity for ornamental planting and for holiday decorations. 



It blossoms in May or June, according to the locality and elevation and bears the 

 good-sized flowers in wonderful clusters, sure to attract attention. These clusters, grouped 

 at the ends of the branches, consist of a considerable number of large flowers, the single 

 blossoms being rendered extremely attractive by the broadly salver-shaped united petals. 

 The pollen-bearing anthers are caught in curious little pockets in these petals and so held 

 on their supports that when an insect visits the flower to gather nectar the anthers are 

 released and shower the pollen upon the visitor. 



Its use for decorative purposes threatens the extermination of this beautiful shrub 

 in many localities. It is robbed of the flowers for church and home decoration, as well 

 as for sale on the city streets, and vast quantities of its branches are gathered and sold 

 during the Christmas holidays. In some regions the species is called Calico Bush, perhaps 

 from the spotted buds and blossoms, and in others it used to be called Spoon wood because 

 the Indians made cooking utensils from it. 



A more generally distributed though less attractive species of Laurel is the Sheep 

 Laurel or Lamb-kill, a low-growing shrub found from the Hudson Bay region south to 

 Georgia. It seldom reaches a greater height than three feet, and bears rather small flowers, 

 which seem miniature reproductions of the blossoms of the Mountain Laurel, but of a 

 deeper red color. 



This Lamb-kill derives its common name from the fact that the foliage is poisonous, 

 and when eaten by sheep and lambs often causes death. It is consequently dreaded 

 in sheep pastures, and, in fact, has no such claims for preservation as has the Mountain 

 Laurel, which also occasionally leads to the death of stock, so that in regions where domestic 

 animals graze it may be desirable to reduce or exterminate the Laurel. It is not in such 

 regions, however, that it is likely to be gathered for decorative purposes. 



Both these plants belong to the genus Kalmia, the name being given in honor of 

 Peter Kalm, who traveled in North America during the middle of the Eighteenth century, 

 The Mountain Laurel is known technically as Kalmia latifolia, while the Sheep Laurel is 

 K. angustifolia. There are various varieties of each species. 



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